HM Treasury

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

Toby Perkins: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government plans to take in response to the Sixth Report of the Public Accounts Committee, HM Revenue and Customs performance in 2014-15, HC 393.

Mr David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) recognise that their customer service has not been good enough, and have taken major steps to improve. This includes recruiting 3,000 new staff into customer service roles, available outside normal office hours when many of their customers choose to call.These steps have started to make a difference. This month, HMRC have answered more than 80% of calls, and average queue times are now around 10 minutes.

Revenue and Customs: Staff

Toby Perkins: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the staff budget for HM Revenue and Customs was in each year since 1997-98.

Mr David Gauke: Budgets for staff are set internally in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), however information relating to actual staff expenditure for HMRC is available from their Report and Accounts.Please note that the staff expenditure up to 2010-11 include amounts for those staff who moved to UK Border Agency.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

Toby Perkins: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the budget was for staff answering calls to tax offices in each year since 2007-08.

Mr David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs does not hold this information, owing to the fact that resource is now moved flexibly within the organisation to deliver customer service.

Taxation: International Cooperation

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to support international efforts to improve tax transparency and accountability.

Mr David Gauke: A major focus of the UK’s G8 Presidency was tax transparency and combatting offshore tax evasion. As part of this the UK promoted the development of a new global standard for reciprocal automatic exchange of financial account information in order to effectively tackle the global problem of tax evasion. Due in large part to the UK’s leadership, over 90 countries and jurisdictions have now committed to the new global standard – known as the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) – and will begin automatically exchanging information under the standard by 2017 or 2018. The receipt of large amounts of information on offshore accounts under the CRS will mark a step change in HMRC’s ability to crack down on tax evasion.During our G8 Presidency, we also drove forward the international work on country-by-country reporting (CBCR), calling on the OECD to develop a template for CBCR reporting as part of the OECD Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project. The OECD template is aimed at providing tax authorities with information on the global allocation of profits and taxes paid and accrued by multinationals, as well as indicators of economic activity in each country. The UK was one of the first countries to commit to implementing the OECD template for CBCR with legislation in the Finance Act 2015.The final package of measures developed under the BEPS project was published by the OECD on 5 October 2015, and endorsed by G20 Finance Ministers at their meeting on 8 October and the G20 Leaders at their summit on 15-16 November. The UK welcomes the outcomes of the BEPS project and will give full consideration to the OECD’s recommendations.In addition, the UK has actively supported the revision of the Directive on Administrative Cooperation, to ensure the effective exchange of information about cross-border tax rulings between EU Member States. This directive was agreed in October 2015, and will come into force from 1st of January 2017.

Taxation: Child Benefit

Craig Mackinlay: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the number of people that will be subject to the provisions of the High Income Child Benefit Tax Charge as a result of Clause 24 of the Finance Bill 2015 (restriction to Landlords' interest deductibility) in each year between 2017-18 and 2020-21.

Craig Mackinlay: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the number of people who will become higher rate taxpayers as a result of the provisions of Clause 24 of the Finance Bill 2015 (restriction to Landlords' interest deductibility) in each year between 2017-18 and 2020-21.

Craig Mackinlay: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the annual additional taxation receipts arising from restrictions to Landlords' interest deductibility from inception of Clause 24 of the Finance Bill 2015 in April 2017 through to its full effects coming into force in 2020-21.

Craig Mackinlay: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the number of people who will be subject to personal allowance restriction on incomes over £100,000 as a result of Clause 24 of the Finance Bill 2015 (restriction to Landlords' interest deductibility) in each year between 2017-18 and 2020-21.

Mr David Gauke: It is assumed that the questions refer to clause 24 of the Summer 2015 Finance Bill: relief for finance costs related to residential property businesses.15897The additional taxation receipts arising from restrictions to Landlords’ interest deductibility of the Summer Budget Finance Bill 2015 has been estimated and published in the “Summer Budget 2015: policy costings” page 21:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/443195/Policy_costings_summer_budget_2015.pdf15898The number of taxpayers who will become higher rate taxpayers as a result of Clause 24 of the plans to restrict finance cost relief for individual landlords will not be estimated. It would only be possible to provide an estimate for the specific years requested at disproportionate cost.15899The number of taxpayers who will become subject to Personal Allowance restrictions as a result of the plans to restrict finance cost relief for individual landlords will not be estimated. It would only be possible to provide an estimate for the specific years requested at disproportionate cost.15895No estimate is available of the number of people that will be subject to the provisions of the High Income Child Benefit Tax Charge as a result of Clause 24 of the Finance Bill 2015. The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Banks: Closures

Chris Davies: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to prevent local high street bank branches from closing.

Harriett Baldwin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 25 June 2015 in response to PQ 3380. The answer can be accessed using the following link:www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=QuestionsWithAnswersOnly&house=commons%2clords&use-dates=True&answered-from=2015-06-25&answered-to=2015-06-26&member=4107.

Councillors: Northern Ireland

Sammy Wilson: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on the taxation of travel expenses for councillors in Northern Ireland.

Mr David Gauke: A new exemption from tax and National Insurance Contributions for councillors’ travel expenses will take effect from 6 April 2016. This was legislated for in the Summer Finance Bill. It will apply to travel expenses paid to councillors across the UK, including those in Northern Ireland.

Infrastructure

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what value of projects received guarantees through the UK Guarantees Scheme (a) in 2015 and (b) since that scheme's launch.

Greg Hands: Since its launch in 2012 the UK Guarantees Scheme has approved £3.7bn of guarantees for projects, enabling £23bn of projects to commence. In 2015 the UK Guarantees Scheme has, to date, approved £2bn of guarantees.

Living Wage: Young People

Andy McDonald: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the annual change in tax revenue from extending the national living wage to those aged between 18 and 25.

Mr David Gauke: Younger workers tend to have less experience than older workers in the labour market, and so there is a risk that too high a wage rate may make them relatively less attractive to employers. So, to minimise any negative impact on employment of younger workers, the National Living Wage is limited to those 25 and over. The Government has not therefore made an estimate of what the fiscal impact of this policy change would be.The Office for Budgetary Responsibility estimate that, by 2020-21, the National Living Wage will increase income tax and NICs receipts by around £0.1bn, as set out in Table B.3 in of their July 2015 Economic and Fiscal Outlook. They assume that, by 2020-21, the overall impact of the policy on the public finances is to reduce public sector net borrowing by £0.2bn.

Productivity

Andy McDonald: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the document, Fixing the Foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation, Cm 9098, published in July 2015, if he will publish his Department's analysis linking changes to tax credits with increased productivity.

Mr David Gauke: The Paper, “Fixing the Foundations: creating a more prosperous economy” focuses not on the link between welfare reforms and productivity but instead on how ‘a productive economy must make the most of its labour force and effectively mobilise people into jobs’.This governments tax and welfare policies are supporting this end.

Universal Credit

Frank Field: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects to sign off in full the business case for universal credit.

Greg Hands: The 2nd Permanent Secretary to the Treasury explained to the PAC on the 10 December 2014 (see link below) the process for Business Case approvals within Government. The first stage of this process, the Strategic Outline Business Case, was agreed for Universal Credit in September 2014. The next step, the Outline Business Case, is now with Treasury Ministers for approval. The Full Business Case will follow for Ministerial approval by the end of 2017. This is in line with the process within Government and a Programme of the scale and complexity of Universal Credit.http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/public-accounts-committee/universal-credit-progress-update/oral/16340.html

Productivity

Andy McDonald: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the document, Fixing the Foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation, Cm 9098, published in July 2015, if he will publish his Department's analysis linking the introduction of a Youth Obligation for 18 to 25 year olds on universal credit with increased productivity.

Mr David Gauke: The Government is introducing a Youth Obligation for 18-21s on Universal Credit, to help them into sustainable employment.From day 1 of their claim, young people will participate in an intensive support regime in return for their benefit. After 6 months, we will expect them to apply for an apprenticeship, traineeship, gain work-based skills, or go on a work placement.As set out in “Fixing the Foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation”, this is part of the Government’s plan for achieving full employment. The Government wants to ensure that young people are given the support, skills and experience to move into work, fulfil their potential and make a contribution to a productive economy.

Treasury: Families

Nic Dakin: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to embed the family test into its policy making.

Mr David Gauke: Officials in my Department have liaised with DWP as the lead Department for the Family Test to embed it into the policy process. This has included training officials on applying the Test, disseminating relevant evidence, learning materials and best practice.

Infrastructure

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what value of projects received investment through the Infrastructure Investment Forum (a) in 2015 and (b) since the Forum's launch.

Greg Hands: The Insurers’ Infrastructure Investment Forum was set up the to give members of the Association of British Insurers (ABI) a direct communication link to Government, exploring ways to maximise opportunities for insurance fund managers to invest in UK infrastructure debt instruments via the capital markets.In 2013 a group of 6 insurers agreed to aim to invest £25bn in UK infrastructure over the next 5 years. They have already invested over £5bn and are on track to meet their target.In 2015 InfraRed Capital Partners and Prudential have each taken 45% stakes in the £1bn Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project.

Prime Minister

Russia: Syria

Ian Paisley: To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions he had with representatives of the Russian government at the recent G20 meeting on Syria.

Mr David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the press release published by my Office on 16 November 2015. The press release is available on the gov.uk website.

Department for Work and Pensions

State Retirement Pensions: Females

Mr David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the cumulative effect of the Pensions Act 1995 and the Pensions Act 2011 on women born in the 1950s.

Justin Tomlinson: An overview of the evidence considered when developing the policy for equalisation of the State Pension age, is provided in the 1993 White Paper, ‘Equality in State Pension age’, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.Estimates of the effect of the increase in State Pension age in the Pensions Act 2011 are presented in the Pensions Act 2011 Impact Assessment, published in November 2011, available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/181462/pensions-bill-2011-ia-annexa.pdfThe latter assessment is a comparison of the impact of the Pensions Act 2011 timetable against the baseline of the 1995 Pensions Act timetable.

State Retirement Pensions: Females

Gavin Newlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will provide support for women who have been affected financially  as a result of changes brought about by the Pension Act 2011.

Mr David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to mitigate the effects of provisions of the Pensions Act 1995 and the Pensions Act 2011 on women born in the 1950s.

Justin Tomlinson: The Government will not be revisiting the State Pension age arrangements for women affected by the Pensions Act 1995 and Pensions Act 2011. These women will receive their State Pension either at the same age as men or earlier as we remove current gender timetable inequality.The equalisation of State Pension age was necessary to meet the UK’s obligations under EU law to eliminate gender inequalities in social security provision. The Pensions Act 1995 contained legislation to equalise women’s State Pension age and, since April 2010, women’s State Pension age has been gradually increasing. Following sharp increases in life expectancy projections, and therefore the increase in the number of people living longer in retirement, this timetable was accelerated by the Pensions Act 2011.A concession was made prior to the passing of the 2011 Act which reduced the delay that anyone would experience in claiming their State Pension, relative to the previous timetable, to 18 months. This concession benefited almost a quarter of a million women, who would otherwise have experienced delays of up to two years. A similar number of men also benefited from a reduced increase, and the concession was worth around £1 billion in total.

State Retirement Pensions: Foreign Nationals

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent from the public purse on the payment of the state pension to non-UK citizens in each non-European Economic Area country in each year from 1997-98 to 2014-15.

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent from the public purse on the payment of the state pension to non-UK citizens in each European Economic Area country for each year from 1997-98 to 2014-15.

Justin Tomlinson: Entitlement to UK State Pension is based on UK national insurance contributions and credits which enables pensioners, many of whom are UK nationals, to receive their state pensions abroad.The Department for Work and Pensions does not hold data on the nationality of State Pension claimants however;State Pension expenditure by country of residence is published on Gov.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/464096/state-pension-by-country-2014-15.xlsx.Expenditure is not broken down by nationality.

Disability: Yorkshire and the Humber

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have (a) sight loss and (b) hearing loss in (i) Barnsley East, (ii) Barnsley, (iii) South Yorkshire and (iv) Yorkshire and the Humber.

Justin Tomlinson: The information requested is not available at parliamentary constituency level.For Yorkshire and Humber it is estimated that there were 140,000 (+/- 40,000) people with a sight impairment and 190,000 (+/- 40,000) people with a hearing impairment in 2013/14.Source: Family Resources Survey, 2013/14Notes:Disabled people are identified in the Family Resources Survey as those who report any physical or mental health condition(s) or illness(es) that last or are expected to last 12 months or more and which limit their ability to carry out day-to-day activities.The Family Resources Survey is a nationally representative sample of UK households.The figures from the Family Resources Survey are based on a sample of households which have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors which align the Family Resources Survey to former Government Office Region population by age and sex. Estimates based on survey data are subject to uncertainty due to sampling error and remaining non-response error.The figures quoted in this response represent point estimates with 95 per cent confidence intervals i.e. given the size and structure of the sample, we are 95 per cent confident that the number of people in Yorkshire and Humber with a sight impairment is 140,000 (+/- 40,000) and the number with a hearing impairment is 190,000 (+/- 40,000).The Family Resources Survey covers private households only so does not record information on individuals in, for example, nursing or retirement homes. This means that figures relating to older people or others who have moved into homes where they can receive more frequent help may not be representative of the United Kingdom population. Therefore it is likely that disability prevalence for those who do not reside in a private household is higher than estimated from the FRS.Figures have been rounded to the nearest ten thousand.

Long Term Unemployed People

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment the Government has made of the effect on the likelihood of people's reemployment of their prior length of absence from work; and what steps the Government is taking to address that matter.

Priti Patel: It is not possible to quantify the exact effect of benefit duration on the likelihood of re-employment as information on the destinations of people leaving benefits is not recorded for all claimants.

Universal Credit: Housing Benefit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what reports he has received of claimants receiving overlapping payments of both universal credit and housing benefit; and if he will make a statement.

Justin Tomlinson: Since April 2013, arrangements have been in place to identify potential overlapping payments between Universal Credit Live Service and Housing Benefit. Any cases identified are referred to Universal Credit for resolution with the appropriate Local Authority.

Universal Credit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects the business case for universal credit to be signed off in full.

Priti Patel: The 2nd Permanent Secretary to the Treasury explained to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on the 10 December 2014 (see link below), the process for Business Case approvals within Government. The first stage of this process, the Strategic Outline Business Case, was agreed in September 2014. The next step, the Outline Business Case, has been agreed at official level and is now with Treasury Ministers for approval. The Full Business Case will follow for approval by the end of 2017. This is in line with the process within Government and a Programme of the scale and complexity of Universal Credit.http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/public-accounts-committee/universal-credit-progress-update/oral/16340.html

Disability Living Allowance: Children

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of disability living allowance applications for children diagnosed with ADHD have been rejected in each of the last five financial years.

Justin Tomlinson: The requested data is not available.

Disability Living Allowance: Children

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many children in each parliamentary constituency and in receipt of disability living allowance are diagnosed with hyperkinetic syndrome.

Justin Tomlinson: The information requested will be placed in the library.

Home Office

Home Office: Freedom of Information

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the Freedom of Information Request, CTS reference M12288/15, submitted by the hon. Member for Preston and received by her Department on 30 August 2015.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 03 November 2015



A response has been sent to the hon. Member.

Home Office: Public Expenditure

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) the amount of any underspend expected against departmental expenditure limits in the current fiscal year and (b) her Department's latest forecast of total AME spend for this year are; and what the forecasts were for those two sums at the time of the Summer Budget 2015 and March Budget 2015.

Karen Bradley: Holding answer received on 16 November 2015



(a) At the close of September 2015, we were not forecasting an underspend of Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit (RDEL)At the close of September 2015, we were not forecasting an underspend of Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit (CDEL)(b) At the close of September 2015, we were forecasting a total Annual Managed Expenditure (AME) spend for 2015-16 of £1,616 million.At the time of the Summer Budget 2015 – when we had closed the accounts for June – we were forecasting:• £9,805 million RDEL for the whole of 2015-16• £363 million CDEL for the whole of 2015-16• £1,618 million AME for the whole of 2015-16At the time of the Spring Budget we were forecasting:• £9,805 million RDEL for the whole of 2015-16• £363 million CDEL for the whole of 2015-16• £1,616 million AME for the whole of 2015-16

Offences against Children: Internet

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of online child abuse were referred from the National Crime Agency to individual police forces in (a) 2014 and (b) 2015.

Karen Bradley: Holding answer received on 18 November 2015



The National Crime Agency (NCA) disseminates intelligence and information relating to child sexual exploitation for police forces to investigate on a regular basis.The NCA made the following number of disseminations in relation to child sexual exploitation and abuse, which includes on-line abuse, to territorial police forces in the UK:2014 - 36642015 (to 30 September) - 4071

Police: Finance

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much she expects to be top-sliced from the (a) 2015-16 and (b) 2016-17 police grant; and from what areas that funding will be top-sliced.

Mike Penning: Reallocations from central Government funding to the police are set out in a Written Ministerial Statement published alongside the Police Grant Report each year. Decisions on funding for 2016/17 will be taken after the Spending Review reports later this month and reallocations will be published in the usual way.For 2015/16, reallocations totalled £177 million (rounded to the nearest £1million) and are listed below for your reference.In addition, a further £564 m illion was allocated in respect of counter-terrorism policing.Police Innovation Fund 70Police Knowledge Fund 5Independent Police Complaints Commission (for the transfer of integrity functions) 30College of Policing (for direct entry schemes) 5City of London National and International Capital City Grant 3HMIC (for PEEL inspection regime) 9Police Special Grant 15Major Programmes 40

Offences against Children

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what procedures her Department has established to safeguard 16 and 17 year olds who are victims of sexual exploitation.

Karen Bradley: Tackling child sexual exploitation is a top priority for this Government. Significant progress has been made since the launch of the “Tackling CSE” report in March 2015. We have prioritised child sexual abuse as a national threat in the Strategic Policing Requirement, setting a clear expectation on police forces to collaborate across force boundaries, to safeguard children, to share intelligence and to share best practice. All forces are training all police staff to respond to child sexual abuse, including call handlers, PCSOs, police officers, detectives and specialist investigators. And in January we will be launching a new national whistleblowing helpline for any employee - regardless of sector -to report bad practice in relation to child abuse. We have delivered the vast majority of a £7 million funding programme to support non-statutory organisations that have experienced a surge in demand on their services. This funding is to support the victims and survivors of sexual abuse, including children of all ages.

Police: Birmingham

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of her Department's miscalculation of the amount of funding available for West Midlands Police on the adequacy of the provision of policing in Birmingham; and what steps she is taking to ensure effective policing in that city.

Mike Penning: The allocations provided to forces were indicative and intended to inform the consultation process. No funding to West Midlands Police or any other force was affected by this error.The Government is now minded to delay the implementation of new arrangements. Funding allocations for 2016/17 will be determined using existing arrangements and will be set out in the Provisional Police Grant Report in December. It is a matter for Police and Crime Commissioners, working with Chief Officers to determine how to best manage their available resources.

Business: Slavery

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to paragraph 8.1 of Transparency in Supply Chains etc: A practical guide, published by her Department on 29 October 2015, if she will provide a central database of slavery and human trafficking statements published by each organisation.

Karen Bradley: We are aware of a number of different proposals to create a central depository or database outside of government. Our priority is to ensure that the best possible platform is established.

Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences: Victim Support Schemes

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding her Department plans to allocate to domestic and sexual violence support services after April 2016; and for how long she plans for that funding to be available.

Karen Bradley: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to ratify the Council of Europe's Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence.

Karen Bradley: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Homelessness: Repatriation

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people from (a) EU and (b) non-EU countries who have been classified as homeless have been returned to their home countries in each year since 2010.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Counter-terrorism: West Midlands

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will review the number of counter-terrorism officials in the West Midlands; and if she will make a statement.

Mr John Hayes: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Immigrants: Detainees

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of immigration detainees who are (a) foreign national offenders convicted of immigration offences, (b) foreign national offenders convicted of non-immigration offences and (c) other detainees were held in immigration detention for (i) 28 days or fewer, (ii) over 28 days but fewer than four months and (iii) over four months in the last year.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Immigrants: Detainees

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of people held in immigration detention are (a) foreign national offenders convicted of immigration related offences, (b) foreign national offenders convicted of other offences and (c) non-foreign nationals.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Home Office: Families

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to embed the Family Test into its policy making.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 20 November 2015



I refer the honourable member to my answer given to Parliamentary Question 15845 in response to a question tabled on 10 November by my honourable friend for Eastbourne.

Visas: Fees and Charges

Michelle  Thomson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what purposes her Department used the income it raised from visa applications in each of the last three years.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Visas: Fees and Charges

Michelle  Thomson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the average amount people spent on visa applications before being granted entry to the UK in the last year for which figures are available.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Visas: Fees and Charges

Michelle  Thomson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason her Department no longer publishes accounts of the revenue stream from visa services previously published by the UK Border Agency.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Visas: Fees and Charges

Michelle  Thomson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much revenue her Department has raised from each category of visa in each of the last three years.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

M20: Road Traffic

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assistance the Government has given to (a) Kent Police, (b) Kent County Council, (c) other operational organisations and (d) businesses to cover costs incurred during the implementation of Operation Stack in Summer 2015.

Mike Penning: In respect of Kent police, the Home Office has recently received an application from the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner for Special Grant funding for the additional costs relating to Operation Stack. I will carefully consider the bid and make a decision in due course.

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Office: Families

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps her Department is taking to implement the family test.

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many of her Department's policies have been assessed against the family test; what steps she has taken to publish the outcome of such assessments; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014. The Department of Works and Pensions published guidance for Departments and officials on how the test should be applied when formulating policy and my Department follows that guidance.The Family Test is an integral part of the policy making process and is applied in a proportionate way in the development of all new policy in line with the Family Test guidance. While the guidance states that departments should consider publishing assessments carried out under the Test, there is no requirement to do so.

Department of Health

Dementia: Screening

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to introduce a standard dementia test for all people aged between 65 and 70.

Jane Ellison: Improving the treatment and care of people with dementia, reducing the incidence of dementia and improving dementia research, is a key priority for the Government. That is why in February 2015, the Prime Minister launched his Challenge on Dementia 2020 as a successor to the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2012-2015.There are different models of diagnosis which are being utilised for all stages of the condition across all age groups. A range of different tests and diagnostic procedures are needed to diagnose dementia depending on the person and the type of dementia they may be suspected of presenting with, therefore a single standardised test would not be clinically appropriate.On 10 September 2014 NHS England published a new Dementia Toolkit aimed at helping general practitioners making a more timely diagnosis and what they can do in terms of vital post-diagnostic support. Decisions on specific health treatments and tests, however, are made at a local level to best meet the needs of the individual concerned.We will be raising awareness of dementia as a component of the NHS Health Check for all attendees aged between 65 and 74.

Perinatal Mortality

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of still births; and what steps he is taking to improve communication between coroners and health professionals to inform such steps.

Ben Gummer: On 13 November 2015, the Government announced an ambitious campaign to halve the national rates of maternal deaths, stillbirths and neonatal deaths and brain injuries in babies by 2030.To help meet these aims trusts will receive a share of over £4 million of government investment to improve outcomes for women and babies. This includes:- a £2.24 million fund to help trusts buy monitoring or training equipment to improve safety;- a £500,000 investment in developing a new system for staff to review and learn from every stillbirth and neonatal death; and- over £1 million investment to roll out training packages developed in agreement with expertise from the Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, to make sure staff have the skills and confidence they need to deliver world-leading safe care.Stillbirths are certified by a registered medical practitioner if they are present at the stillbirth or examined the baby, or in the absence of a registered medical practitioner, by a midwife. The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 provides the legal framework for the coroners role, which is limited to investigating the cause of deaths. Stillborn babies are not legally classified as having died because they did not show signs of independent life after birth.Medical professionals will only refer a case to the senior Coroner if there is reason to suspect that a baby's death may have been violent or unnatural. This includes babies who only briefly showed signs of independent life and/or where there is doubt about whether a child was born alive or was stillborn.One of the powers available to a coroner is the power to make a Rule 43 report. If the coroner feels that the evidence gives rise to a concern that circumstances creating a risk of other deaths will occur or continue to exist, he/she may make a Rule 43 report, which is sent to the organisation that has responsibility for the circumstances. A recipient of a Rule 43 report must send a written response within 56 days. The response must give details of any action which has been or is proposed will be taken, or provide an explanation when no action is proposed.

NHS: Negligence

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the incentives for defendants in clinical negligence cases to encourage early admissions and settlements.

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to ensure that claimant lawyers can continue to pursue low-value claims in clinical negligence cases in a fixed recoverable cost regime.

Ben Gummer: Admissions should be made and compensation paid to those who are entitled to it based on the evidence. The proposed scheme will also apply to defendants and incentives for early resolution are included in the consultation. NHS Litigation Authority data shows that on average clinical negligence claims resolve within 1.31 years of the claim being made, and those valued under £25,000 are resolved in less than 12 months.Following the pre-consultation process, the Department is currently working with the Civil Procedure Rule Committee on the rules to support the Fixed Recoverable Cost work before an open public consultation is undertaken.

Social Services: Finance

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what modelling his Department has undertaken of the effect on adult social care of different funding allocations for such services.

Alistair Burt: Officials in the Department and across Government are working hard to understand pressures on the system and are considering adult social care expenditure and future demand as part of the Spending Review process. This includes modelling of the effect on adult social care of different funding allocations.The Spending Review process will formally conclude on 25 November 2015, when the Chancellor will announce the outcome.The Department has already commissioned a full review of the Adult Social Care Relative Needs Formula (which is used to allocate funding to local authorities based on indicators such as need, population and wealth) from the Personal Social Services Research Unit (at the University of Kent and the London School of Economics) and LG Futures (a consultancy).As part of this review, 53 councils have contributed the most detailed data yet obtained for social care allocations. The researchers are currently writing up the research which will be published in due course.

Junior Doctors: Conditions of Employment

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has considered referring the junior doctors' contract dispute to ACAS.

Ben Gummer: My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State is not ruling out conciliation – however, we believe it is still possible to have meaningful talks. We have already sought independent views on contract reform – having asked the independent Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists Remuneration (DDRB) for recommendations which formed the basis of our offer, an offer which the British Medical Association have so far refused to talk about. Both the BMA and the Government gave evidence to the DDRB. We continue to urge the BMA to come back round the table, and there are no preconditions to any talks, though of course the Government reserves the right to make changes to contracts if no progress is made on the issues preventing a truly 7 day NHS. That was promised in the manifesto and endorsed by the British people at the last election.The DDRB made 23 recommendations and proposed that these should be the basis for national level negotiations between the BMA and NHS Employers, which the Government accepted. The DDRB’s report was published in July this year.The BMA has refused to accept these independent recommendations as the basis for negotiations. The Government continues to urge the BMA to return to talks and to work in partnership with NHS Employers to agree a new contract that works for junior doctors and patients.

Health Services: British Nationals Abroad

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether British expatriates who pay income tax in the UK will be charged for medical treatment in the UK.

Alistair Burt: Since the United Kingdom has a residence based healthcare system, a person who is not ordinarily resident in the UK, including a British national expatriate, is chargeable for any National Health Service hospital services they receive during visits to the UK, unless an exemption category applies, as set out in Regulations. Therefore, entitlement to free NHS care is not linked to the payment of UK taxes.Being ordinarily resident in the UK means, in relation to British citizens, living here on a lawful, properly settled basis for the time being. A person can be ordinarily resident in more than one country at a time, depending on their individual circumstances.

Suicide

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent review his Department has conducted into the adequacy of suicide prevention support for (a) men and (b) women; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: There has not been a formal review of the adequacy of suicide prevention support for men and women. However, we published a national strategy, Preventing Suicide in England: a cross-Government strategy to save lives in 2012. I announced in a Westminster Hall Debate on 19 November 2015 that this strategy was a dynamic one, being reviewed and refreshed regularly. We continue to monitor and track trends in suicide and work with organisations across Government and industry and with a range of stakeholder organisations to implement the national strategy. We publish an annual report on our progress. The next annual report will be published early next year.The Department provides financial support to the National Suicide Prevention Alliance consisting of a range of organisations concerned with suicide prevention which provides expert advice on implementing the national strategy.

Mental Hospitals

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients in (a) St Helens North constituency, (b) Merseyside and (c) the UK were admitted to mental health hospitals outside of their local authority area in the last five years.

Alistair Burt: Information on the number of patients who were admitted to mental health hospitals outside their home local authority in St Helens North constituency, Merseyside and the United Kingdom in each of the last five years is not available. However, information on the number of people in non-specialist mental health beds treated out of area between September 2014 and July 2015 is set out in the attached table: the number of people in non-specialist mental health bed, placed out of area at the end of the month, for England and Mersey Care NHS Trust, September 2014-July 2015.



Non specialist mental health beds- out of area
(Excel SpreadSheet, 48.27 KB)

Drugs

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Care Quality during Oral Questions on 17 November 2015 on the establishment of a working party to examine issues regarding the availability of off-patent, repurposed drugs, when the working party was established; what the working party's scope and terms of reference are; which organisations and individuals have been invited to join the working party; and when the next meeting of the working party will be convened.

George Freeman: The Government has not established a working party in relation to the Off-Patent Drugs Bill. We did hold a roundtable event in February 2015 with key stakeholders including charities and agreed several follow up actions. We have now agreed additional further actions:- arrange a further roundtable event specifically for those charities who would like to explore the Bill in more detail;- input in to the work of the Off-Patent Drugs Bill All Party Parliamentary Group; and- hold a Ministerial drop-in session on 30 November, for those who would like to discuss the Bill further. This will be hosted by myself.

Hyperactivity

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children in each parliamentary constituency are diagnosed with ADHD.

Alistair Burt: That information is not available centrally.

National Suicide Prevention Alliance: Finance

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what financial support his Department has provided to the National Suicide Prevention Alliance in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The Department has provided the following financial support for the National Suicide Prevention Alliance since its establishment in 2012:YearFunding2013/14£60,0002014/15£60,0002015/16£60,000Total£180,000Source: Department of Health

Department of Health: Families

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to embed the Family Test into its policy making.

Jane Ellison: Officials in the Department of Health have liaised with the Department for Work and Pensions as the lead Department for the Family Test to embed it and encourage routine use of the Test. This has included training officials on applying the Test, disseminating relevant evidence, learning materials and best practice.The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014 through the publication of guidance for officials - Family Test Guidance.The objective of the Test is to introduce a family perspective to the policy making process, specifically to make the potential impacts on family functioning and relationships explicit.The Department of Health is working to raise awareness of the Family Test amongst its policy staff, so that the impact of policy on the family is considered as a matter of course. We have highlighted the Family Test through the Policy Kit, an online resource for the Department of Health policy officials. The Family Test is also highlighted in policy induction training, which is available to staff who are new to policy roles in the Department of Health.

Mental Health Services: Males

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that men make use of mental health services when they need them; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: We have committed to achieving parity of esteem for mental and physical health and improving access to mental health services for all people. We are implementing the first waiting times for mental health services to ensure more people have access to care when they need it and we have increased access to talking therapies through the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme.We know that men can sometimes be a hard to reach group for some mental health issues such as reducing the risk of suicide and reducing stigma and encouraging men to seek help for their mental health problems.We continue to provide financial support to the Time to Change programme which aims to reduce the stigma around mental health and we provide financial support to the National Suicide Prevention Alliance, which involves organisations from across Government, industry and the community, voluntary and charitable sectors to support delivery of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. Men are highlighted as a high risk group within the National Strategy for whom our suicide prevention activities should be prioritised.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on implementing the aspirations in NHS England's report entitled, The Future in Mind, published in October 2012.

Alistair Burt: Children and young people’s mental health is a priority area for this Government and it is committed to delivering the vision set out in Future in Mind, the report published jointly by the Department and NHS England in March 2015. This is supported by an additional investment of £1.4 billion over the next five years.Progress has been made on many of the key proposals set out in Future in Mind. One key proposal in Future in Mind is that Local Transformation Plans for Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing should be produced covering the full spectrum of mental health issues. Plans covering all clinical commissioning groups areas in the country are currently being assured by NHS England’s regional teams. Funding will be released subject to satisfactory assessment.Work is in progress to strengthen the capacity and capability of workforce and to improve data and information in order to deliver the vision set out in Future in Mind by 2020. In addition, the Children and Young People's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme is continuing to be rolled out across the country.Progress has also been made on making help and support to children and young people available online through the launch of an online hub for children and young people on the NHS Choices website and further investment made into a campaign to reduce stigma and discrimination as proposed in Future in Mind.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Department of Education on the provision of specialist mental health services for children and young people who have been victims of (a) child sexual exploitation, (b) bereavement and (c) abuse.

Alistair Burt: I regularly meet with Department for Education Ministers regarding the progress on delivering the vision set out in Future in Mind to improve the mental health of all children and young people. This includes the provision of therapeutic support for victims of child sexual exploitation, bereavement and abuse.

Mental Health Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost to the NHS of NHS mental health patients being treated in non-NHS institutions has been in each of the last three years.

Alistair Burt: NHS England’s specialised commissioning total spend on contracts with independent sector mental health providers is as follows:YearSpend (£ million)2013/144782014/155812015/16576Note: figures are based on contract values.This expenditure relates to a number of different service types including: adult secure services; eating disorder services, gender identity services, child and adolescent mental health in patient services.Details of local clinical commissioning group spend with independent sector providers is not collected centrally.

Mental Health: Social Security Benefits

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Department for Work and Pensions on the effect of sanctions on the mental health of people who have been so sanctioned.

Alistair Burt: Ministers in the Department of Health and Department of Work and Pensions have not had any recent discussions about the effect of sanctions on the mental health of people who have been so sanctioned.However, Ministers have many discussions with stakeholders about a range of issues, and the Secretary of State for Health and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions met on 3 June and agreed to greater cross government working between their respective Departments. Following that meeting, the Department of Health and Department for Work and Pensions Work and Health Unit was created to improve the health and employment outcomes of benefit claimants.We know that people come into contact with the welfare system at a time when they may be vulnerable because of unemployment and its associated consequences. The Department for Work and Pensions provides guidance and training for staff to help them identify and support people who may be vulnerable.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made in preparation for the introduction of waiting time targets for child and adolescent mental health services; and when he plans for those waiting times to come into effect.

Alistair Burt: The setting of a blanket waiting time target for children and young people’s mental health is not feasible due to the wide range of conditions and services this covers, all with very different care pathways. However, we are introducing the first ever waiting time standards for mental health services.These include an access and waiting time standard for Children and Young People with an Eating Disorder. This states that National Institute of Health and Care Excellence concordant treatment should commence within a maximum of four weeks from first contact with a designated healthcare professional for routine cases and within one week for urgent cases. In cases of emergency, the eating disorder service should be contacted to provide support within 24 hours. The ability of services to meet this standard will be monitored in 2016. From 2017, NHS England will set a minimum proportion of young people referred for assessment or treatment that are expected to receive treatment within the standard’s timeframe. Data collected in 2016 will help inform incremental percentage increases, with the aim of 95% of patients being treated within the standard’s timescale by 2020.We have also introduced an access and waiting times standard on Early Intervention in Psychosis announced in Mental health services: achieving better access by 2020 which came into force in April 2015. Whilst focused on all ages, most individuals experiencing a first episode of psychosis are in the 16-25 age group.NHS England will be working with partner organisations to lead work on the development of further access and waiting time standards for children’s mental health as part of the transformation programme on children and young people’s mental health.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Further Education: Finance

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations he has received from further education colleges on withdrawal of ESOL Plus Mandation Funding.

Nick Boles: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has received an estimated 40 letters on this subject from a range of people, including Further Education College Principals, ESOL teachers, ESOL students, local councils, the Association of Colleges and other furthereducation stakeholders.

Employment Schemes: Dyslexia

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of the total number of Employment Support Fund claimants were claimants with dyslexia in each of the last five years.

Joseph Johnson: Employment Support Funds are maintained and dispensed by University Student Unions. They are typically used to provide support for the cost of attending an interview for a job or further study. Government is not responsible for this funding and we therefore do not hold the data requested.

Disabled Students' Allowances: Dyslexia

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of changes to disabled students' allowances on students with dyslexia.

Joseph Johnson: The Government has undertaken an Equality Analysis of the proposed changes to DSAs. The Equality Analysis will be published alongside the Government response to the consultation.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Wales

Christina Rees: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, for what reasons the matters within his Department's responsibility in Schedule 1 of the draft Wales Bill have been designated as reserved.

Joseph Johnson: The reservations listed in Schedule 1 to the draft Wales Bill reflects the Government’s view of where the Welsh devolution boundary lies following the devolution of further powers to the Assembly provided for in the draft Bill.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Wales

Christina Rees: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many times he has (a) met and (b) corresponded with a minister of the Welsh Government on the draft Wales Bill in the last 12 months.

Joseph Johnson: The Wales Office is the lead Government department on the draft Wales Bill, and is the primary point of contact with the Welsh Government on matters related to the draft Bill.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Wales

Christina Rees: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, by what process his Department identified the areas of policy within its responsibility proposed for reservation in Annex B of the publication Powers for a Purpose: Towards a lasting devolution settlement for Wales, published on 27 February 2015.

Joseph Johnson: Annex B to the Powers for a Purpose Command Paper provided an illustrative list of the main areas in which reservations would be needed in a reserved powers model. The list described the Government’s emerging thinking as the new reserved powers model was being developed. The Government published its full proposals in the draft Wales Bill on 20 October 2015.

UK Membership of EU

Dr Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the implications are for the (a) PEACE and (b) INTERREG IVA programmes in (i) the UK and (ii) Northern Ireland of a UK decision to leave the EU.

Anna Soubry: The Government is focused on delivering a successful renegotiation.

Stocks and Shares

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will encourage the International Organisation of Securities Commissions to bring global listing rules in line with those set out in the European Non-Financial Reporting Directive.

Anna Soubry: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is due to implement the requirements in the EU Non-Financial Reporting Directive into UK law by 6 December 2016. BIS has no plans to extend these requirements beyond those contained in the EU Directive.Representation to the International Organisation of Securities Commissions and policy responsibility for UK listing rules falls within the remit of the Financial Conduct Authority and any further enquiries on these matters should be directed to them.

Accountancy: EU Law

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress he has made in transposing the European Non-Financial Reporting Directive into UK law; and whether there will be additional reporting requirements.

Anna Soubry: A consultation will be published shortly seeking views on the Governments plans to transpose this directive into UK law. We have no current plans to implement any reporting requirements beyond those required by the Directive.

Apprentices: Taxation

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether businesses will be permitted to allocate their apprenticeship-levied funds to small and medium-sized enterprises and other business in their supply chain; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Boles: My Rt hon Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will announce further details of the apprenticeship levy at the Spending Review, including the scope and rate of the levy.

Ministry of Defence

Veterans: Government Assistance

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to provide additional support for ex-servicemen and women and their families.

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues about providing more comprehensive support for ex-servicemen and women and their families.

Mark Lancaster: The Career Transition Partership (CTP) contract for Service personnel was re-let on 1 October 2015; for the first time, CTP pulls all elements of transition support under one mechanism so that every Service leaver, regardless of time-served or reason for departure, has access to transition support. In addition, using the CTP contract mechanism, Joint Forces Command and the Royal Air Force are running an initial two year Spouse Employment Support trial offering a limited number of places for eligible Service spouses to access tailored employment support at selected locations.Spousal support is mirrored in wider initiatives, such as the Wolverhampton University business startup course. Originally funded for a two year period by the Armed Forces Covenant (LIBOR) funding, HSBC have provided additional funding to extend the project. It is a 10 month business start-up and mentoring programme designed specifically for Armed Forces families. Current funding will provide 540 places between now and 2020.The Ministry of Defence (MOD)has announced the development of a Families Strategy, in coordination with families and the 3rd Sector, during its annual Welfare Conference on 9 November 2015. At the same event, the Secretary of State welcomed Barclay's Veterans Employment Transition Support (VETS) programme, which was launched on 19 November 2015 following an initial trial period; this is due to provide mentoring, training and advice to veterans. A partnership of leading companies and charities, it will support the MOD and CTP with additional avenues of support to help veterans and Service leavers.As part of the Armed Forces Covenant, the Covenant Reference Group (CRG) chaired by the Cabinet Office includes representatives from all of the main Government Departments. The CRG meets regularly to guide and direct work on the Armed Forces Covenant, including support for the veteran community. Other members of the CRG include the three Service Families Federations, the Confederation of Service Charities and other Armed Forces charities.

Veterans: Mesothelioma

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will review compensation payments to armed forces veterans who served prior to 1987 and have contracted mesothelioma as a result of being exposed to asbestos while under military orders.

Mark Lancaster: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 November 2015 to Question 15511 to the hon. Member for Strangford (Mr Shannon).



20151116 - QnA extract on Veterans Cancer
(Word Document, 14.63 KB)

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Martin John Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the NATO Members User Group for MQ-9 Reaper drones last met; and whether he attended that meeting.

Penny Mordaunt: The last meeting of members of the MQ-9 Users Group took place 2 - 4 June 2015 at US Air Force Base Wright Paterson, Ohio. The UK party was led by the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) Force Commander and consisted of representatives from the Royal Air Force.

Clyde Naval Base

Martin John Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent health and safety checks for civilian personnel have been carried out at Faslane Naval Base.

Mark Lancaster: The health and safety management arrangements at Faslane are comprehensive and multi-layered with all staff empowered to intervene or stop work when unsure about any aspect of working practices. This is supported by a wide range of routine risk assessments, inspections and audits conducted by both an internal assurance team and external regulators.

Ministry of Defence: Public Records

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the files held at Swadlincote that are subject to the Public Records Act 1958 have been (a) assessed by and (b) released to the National Archive.

Mark Lancaster: All Ministry of Defence (MOD) records held at Swadlincote that are subject to the Public Records Acts have been assessed for ongoing business or potential historical value. More than one third of the files at Swadlincote have been selected for transfer to The National Archives. These are largely military service records, which The National Archives has identified as being required for permanent preservation.

Public Records: Northern Ireland

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many files held at Swadlincote his Department has made available to the (a) Historical Enquiries Team and (b) Da Silva Review.

Penny Mordaunt: The Historical Enquiries Team and the De Silva Review were able to access any Ministry of Defence file at Swadlincote or elsewhere which was relevant to their functions, but the Department does not record the number of files which were actually inspected or copied over time by members of these teams.

Public Records: Northern Ireland

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on declassifying and transferring historical files relating to Northern Ireland held at Swadlincote to the National Archive under the 30-year rule.

Mark Lancaster: The Ministry of Defence's (MOD) policy for the capture, management and final disposal, including transfer to The National Archives, of the MOD's records is detailed in Joint Service Publication 441-Defence Records Management Policy and Procedures. A copy of JSP 441 has been placed in the Library of the House. JSP 441 can also be found on the Gov.uk website:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/jsp-441-defence-records-management-policy-and-procedures--2All files relating to Northern Ireland held at Swadlincote are assessed by the MOD and The National Archives officials for sensitivity and historic value. Those files deemed worthy of permanent preservation will be selected for transfer to The National Archives.

Defence: Finance

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department expects to know how much of the Joint Security Fund announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in July 2015 will be allocated to his Department.

Michael Fallon: The Chancellor of the Exchequer will set out further details of the Joint Security Fund at the Spending Review on Wednesday 25 November.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Communities and Local Government: Families

Caroline Ansell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure the routine use by his Department of the family test; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: Officials in my Department have liaised with the Department for Work and Pensions as the lead Department for the Family Test to embed it and encourage routine use of the Test. This has included training officials on applying the Test, disseminating relevant evidence, learning materials and best practice.

Royal Hospital Haslar

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what planning consents have been granted for the site of the Royal Hospital Haslar; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: My Department does not hold detailed records of the planning history for the Royal Hospital Haslar.

Aerials: Planning Permission

Antoinette Sandbach: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many planning applications for the erection of telephone masts have been rejected by local authorities in (a) the UK, (b) Cheshire and (c) Eddisbury constituency in the last 12 months.

Brandon Lewis: This information is not collected centrally.

Carbon Monoxide: Poisoning

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness of the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning.

James Wharton: Building upon the success of the Fire Kills campaign, the Department for Communities and Local Government is running a campaign to raise awareness of the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning in the home. The Department has developed new Public Safety Radio Broadcasts that give advice on how best to avoid the risks and how to spot the danger signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. These are available for broadcasters to download free of charge.The Department has also published guidance to be given to tenants at the start of new tenancies which includes references to new requirements on private landlords to install and check carbon monoxide alarms in rooms where there are solid fuel burning appliances.The guidance is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-rent.

Fire Services: Suicide

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the rate of suicide among members of the fire service; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce such numbers.

Greg Clark: We do not hold information on the rate of deaths by suicide of firefighters. Individual fire and rescue authorities as employers are responsible for the health and welfare of firefighters, including their mental health. In October last year the Government announced the allocation of nearly £10 million to help support 200,000 emergency services personnel and volunteers, funded through LIBOR fines. Of this funding up to £4 million was allocated to mental health charity MIND to develop a programme of targeted mental health support and information for all emergency services personnel across England. The programme includes an anti-stigma campaign, a confidential advice line for emergency service staff, training for leaders and line managers, peer learning events and resources to promote better mental health in the work place. I encourage fire and rescue authorities to engage with this important programme.

Local Government Finance

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the level of financial reserves of local authorities.

Mr Marcus Jones: Local authorities are responsible for managing their own finances. They are required by statute to have regard to the level of reserves needed for meeting estimated future expenditure when calculating their annual budget requirement.In making their assessment, they must have regard to the good practice guidance produced by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.Where authorities have maintained significant revenue reserves, this will give them room to manoeuvre on their finances in future years.Authorities should consider dipping into their revenue reserves where it can be sensible to provide and protect front line services for local tax payers.My Department publishes statistics on the level of reserves held by each authority, based on reports from them, which are available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-2014-to-2015-individual-local-authority-data-outturn

Quarrying

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the need for increased quarrying capacity to meet the stone demand for new house building.

Brandon Lewis: The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that mineral planning authorities should plan for a steady and adequate supply of minerals (aggregates), for example stone which is used in construction. All mineral planning authorities in England are members of one of the nine Aggregate Working Parties. These Parties publish annual reports which provide survey data on the extraction, sales, supply and forecast demand for aggregates in their area.

Property Development: Greater London

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Ministry of Justice press release, Prison building revolution announced by Chancellor and Justice Secretary, published on 9 November 2015, what plans the Government has to ensure that redevelopment of prison sites in central London includes an element of social housing.

Brandon Lewis: Over this Parliament the Government is committed to releasing surplus public sector land with capacity for up to 150,000 homes by 2020. It is for local planning authorities, working with developers, to decide the appropriate level of market and affordable housing for each site having regard to the Local Plan and viability.We strongly support the re-use of brownfield land that is suitable for new housing. The Housing and Planning Bill will require local authorities to have a statutory register of brownfield land suitable for housing, improving the availability and transparency of up-to-date information, as part of our ambition that 90% of suitable brownfield sites have planning permission for housing by 2020.

Local Government Finance

Jo Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much each (a) county council, (b) Metropolitan district, (c) London borough and (d) unitary authority (i) spent on (A) education and (B) all services in 2009-10 and (ii) budgeted to spend on both such categories of services in 2015-16.

Jo Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much each (a) county council, (b) Metropolitan district, (c) London borough and (d) unitary authority (i) spent on social services in 2009-10 and (ii) budgeted to spend on such services in 2015-16.

Mr Marcus Jones: Information for expenditure on Education, Social Care services and All services combined for financial year 2009-10, by each authority and by class of authority is published on the GOV.UK website in the table ‘Revenue outturn service expenditure summary (RSX) 2009 to 2010’, available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/387062/RSX.xlsEquivalent budget information for 2015-16 is available from the table ‘Revenue account (RA) budget 2015 to 2016’, available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/444910/RA_2015-16_data_by_LA_-_Nat_Stats_Release_-_15-Jul-2015.xls

Utilities: Infrastructure

Mrs Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what statutory obligations are placed on local authorities to have an accurate assessment of the (a) capacity, (b) location and (c) other aspects of local utility infrastructure.

Brandon Lewis: The Department for Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service: Staff

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the change in the number of firefighter posts was in Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2013-14.

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the change in the number of firefighter posts was in Essex Fire and Rescue Service in 2013-14.

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the change in the number of firefighter posts was in Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2013-14.

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the change in the number of firefighter posts was in Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2013-14.

Greg Clark: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 6 November 2015, PQ 13946.

Private Rented Housing: Safety

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, through what channels his Department plans to disburse the £3.2 million payment from the Fire and Rescue Authorities to private landlords for smoke and carbon dioxide alarms after the introduction of the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015.

Brandon Lewis: To help landlords prepare for introduction of the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015, my Department provided £3.2 million of non ring-fenced funding to local Fire and Rescue Authorities to purchase and distribute smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to landlords.These regulations aim to protect tenants from fire and carbon monoxide poisoning in the home, and to further that aim we would expect Fire and Rescue Authorities to continue distributing any remaining alarms following the introduction of the regulations to help landlords comply, therefore safeguarding more tenants.The Chief Fire Officers Association Home Safety Committee are planning to conduct further research and analysis on the distribution of the free alarms in the new year.

Council Tax Benefits

Ms Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to appoint the Chair of the review of the localisation of council tax benefit; and by what process he plans for that Chair and other people working on that review work to be selected.

Ms Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the reason is for the time taken to publish the terms of reference of the review of the localisation of council tax benefit.

Ms Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many staff are currently working on the review of the localisation of council tax benefit; and whether he plans for further appointments to be made to this team.

Mr Marcus Jones: The details of the Chair and terms of reference for the independent review of local council tax support schemes will be published in due course. A Review team comprising four full-time equivalents staff has been set up to provide project and analytical support to the Chair.The Review will be completed by the end of March 2016.

Council Tax Reduction Schemes

Ms Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will place in the Library the minutes of the meeting of the Council Tax Partnership Forum in June 2015.

Mr Marcus Jones: Forum members agreed to to cancel the June 2015 meeting, as there were no substantive agenda times. Therefore there are no minutes available.

Council Tax Reduction Schemes

Ms Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will place in the Library a copy of the terms of reference of the Council Tax Partnership Forum.

Mr Marcus Jones: I have arranged for the Terms of Reference of the Council Tax Partnership Forum to be placed in the Library of the House.

Homelessness: Greater London

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much his Department provided in Homelessness Prevention Grant to each local authority in London in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14, (c) 2014-15 and (d) 2015-16.

Mr Marcus Jones: We have made available over £500 million to local authorities and the voluntary sector to tackle homelessness. Since 2010, this has helped local authorities to prevent 935,800 households from becoming homeless.The attached table (London Borough Homelessness Prevention Grant allocation 2012-13) shows the allocations of Homelessness Prevention Grant in 2012- 13 for London Boroughs.From 2013-14 support for preventing homelessness has been included in the annual Local Government Finance Settlement, split between Revenue Support Grant and estimated retained business rates. In the following years London Boroughs’ level of notional grant was as set out in the attached table (London Borough Homelessness Prevention Grant allocation 2013-16).Revenue Support Grant and retained business rates are not ring-fenced. It is up to individual authorities to decide how grant funding should be spent in order to deliver local services.



London Borough HPG allocation 2012/13
(Word Document, 22.04 KB)




London Borough HPG allocation 2013-16
(Word Document, 25.11 KB)

Scotland Office

Scotland Bill: Lords Amendments

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether the Government plans to table amendments to the Scotland Bill in the House of Lords.

David Mundell: Holding answer received on 19 November 2015



The Government tabled substantive amendments to the Scotland Bill at Report Stage of the Bill in the House of Commons. The Bill subsequently passed third reading without division. The Government’s amendments strengthened the Bill and put beyond doubt that the Smith Commission Agreement has been delivered in full. The Bill is now before the House of Lords where it will be scrutinised further.

Department for Transport

Taxis: Wheelchairs

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of (a) Uber vehicles, (b) black cabs and (c) private hire vehicles are wheelchair accessible.

Andrew Jones: The results of the Department’s taxi survey in 2015 showed that 58% of all taxis (Hackney Carriages) in England are wheelchair accessible. All 22,500 London taxis are wheelchair accessible as required by Transport for London’s ‘Conditions for Fitness’ taxi licensing policy. 175 authorities (61%) require wheelchair accessible vehicles in all or part of their taxi fleet.We do not keep comprehensive statistics on the number of wheelchair accessible private hire vehicles, including those operated by Uber or any other private hire operators. However we do welcome initiatives by such operators to improve the service they provide to those who need additional assistance.

Taxis

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he intends to implement a single consolidated legislative framework for taxis throughout England and Wales.

Andrew Jones: A single legislative framework for taxis and private hire vehicles throughout England and Wales was one of the recommendations of the Law Commission following their comprehensive review of taxi and private hire legislation.The Government is continuing to consider the Law Commission’s report in its entirety and in line with the protocol that exists between the Government and the Law Commission, the Government will formally respond to the Law Commission and announce its intentions in due course.

London Airports: Noise

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what penalties there are for London airports which breach the noise quota count designated in the Civil Aviation Act 1982.

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times noise quotas at each London airport have been breached in each of the last 10 years.

Mr Robert Goodwill: There have been no breaches of the night noise quotas in the last 10 years. For the night period (23.30 to 06.00), there is a limit on the number of movements (an aircraft landing or taking off) and noise quotas (each aircraft is given a noise quota according to the noise produced) at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted for the summer and winter seasons.There are, and have been, no penalties for breaching the movement and noise quota limits. Details on these limits are set out in the London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London Stansted Airports Noise Restrictions Notices.

Roads: Accidents

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of people who (a) died and (b) were injured on the road who were vulnerable road users.

Andrew Jones: (a) In 2014, 51 per cent of people killed in reported personal injury road accidents were vulnerable road users - pedestrians, pedal cyclists, motorcyclists and horse riders (899 of 1,775).(b) In 2014, 34 per cent of people injured (serious or slight) in reported personal injury road accidents were vulnerable road users (65,606 of 192,702).

London Airports: Noise

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how often have the noise quotas for London airports been reviewed or updated since their designation in the Civil Aviation Act 1982.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Night flight restrictions of some form have been in place at Heathrow since 1962, Gatwick since 1971 and Stansted since 1978. Since 1993, the night noise regime has limited the number of flights and amount of noise energy that can be emitted at each airport. These limits are reviewed approximately every 5 years and there has been three consultations since 1993. The current regime ends in October 2017 and the Government will be consulting next year on a regime to replace it.

Transport: Greater Manchester

Mr David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the projected transport budget per capita in Greater Manchester after the devolution agreement comes into effect.

Andrew Jones: Government committed to provide Greater Manchester with a devolved, multi-year transport funding settlement in their Devolution Deal which was agreed in November 2014. The transport funding to be devolved to Greater Manchester will be agreed as part of the Spending Review to be announced later this month.

A17: Dual Carriageways

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the economic benefits of (a) dualling the A17 in its entirety and (b) dualling its single carriageway sections.

Andrew Jones: No assessment has been undertaken by the Department for Transport of the economic benefits of dualling the A17 in its entirety or in single sections. The A17 forms part of the local road network and is the responsibility of Lincolnshire County Council and Nottinghamshire County Council. It is for the councils concerned to develop proposals to dual this road if they wish to do so, working closely with the respective Local Enterprise Partnerships.

RAF Northolt

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2015 to Question 14459, whether the Civil Aviation Authority plans to make the conclusions of the review into the safety of operations at RAF Northolt publicly available; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The review was conducted by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in response to concerns raised by the operator of Biggin Hill Airport. The CAA has advised Biggin Hill of the conclusions of the review. The CAA remains satisfied that operations by civil aircraft at Northolt are safe. The CAA has no plans to publish the conclusions of the review but will continue to ensure that all operators using RAF Northolt have access to all relevant information about the aerodrome.

Department for Transport: Families

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many of his Department's policies have been assessed against the family test; what steps he has taken to publish the outcome of such assessments; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014. Department of Work and Pensions published guidance for Departments and officials on how the Test should be applied when formulating policy and my Department follows that guidance- Family Test GuidanceThe Family Test is an integral part of the policy making process and is applied in a proportionate way in the development of all new policy in line with the Family Test guidance. As a result potential impacts of policy on family functioning and relationships are considered as part of the normal process of agreeing policy and any outcomes will be incorporated into the impact assessments published on legislation.gov.uk.

Great Western Railway Line: Compensation

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many delays on the Great Western mainline have qualified for schedule 4 compensation payments since work to electrify that line commenced.

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much is paid in Schedule 4 compensation payment to train operations for delayed journey.

Claire Perry: As explained in my previous response to the Hon Member on 23 September, UIN 10378 (http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2clords&uin=10378), the Department does not hold details of the timing, number or value of such payments, which are a commercial matter between the parties directly concerned, overseen by the Office of Rail and Road.

Department for Transport: Families

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to implement the family test.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Officials in my Department have liaised with Department of Work and Pensions as the lead department for the Family Test on cross government activity to embed and encourage routine use of the Test. This has included training officials on applying the Test, disseminating relevant learning materials and best practice.

Bus Services: Rural Areas

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of households in rural areas meet the minimum criteria for the bus availability indicator.

Andrew Jones: The proportion of households by time taken to walk to the nearest bus stop and rural and urban classification is published in table NTS0801, available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/457740/nts0801.xlsThe latest statistics show that in 2014, 85% of households in the most rural areas in England were within 13 minutes walk of the nearest bus stop. This proportion increased to 99% of households in England as a whole. These statistics do not take account of the service frequency at the nearest bus stop.

Public Transport

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of households are able to reach a (a) hospital, (b) GP, (c) jobcentre, (d) primary school, (e) secondary school and (f) place of employment in 20 minutes by public transport.

Andrew Jones: The Department produces and publishes estimates of journey times to these destinations, with the exception of job centres. These are summarised in the table below. The journey time thresholds and user populations for which statistics are estimated vary, as shown in the table. Comparative data from 2011 is also shown.Modelled journey times to selected local services by public transport, England 20112013DestinationPercentage of user population within threshold journey timePercentage of user population within threshold journey timeThreshold journey time (minutes)User populationHospital67.270.030Number of householdsGP94.894.915Number of householdsPrimary School98.698.8155-10 year olds in schoolSecondary School90.591.62011-15 year olds in schoolPlace of Employment196.697.22016-74 year oldsPlaces of employment are defined here as lower layer super output areas containing 100 or more jobsSource: Accessibility Statistics 2013, Department for Transport

Intercity Express Programme

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the procurement contract for the new Hitachi Intercity Express Programme specifies the internal layout and specification of rolling stock.

Claire Perry: The Intercity Express Programme (IEP) specification delivers the priorities of both train operators and passenger groups. The contract also makes provision for variation of the interior layout during the life of IEP to response to changes in passenger demand and priorities.

Railways: Bolton

Mr David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to deal with overcrowding on Bolton's commuter trains.

Andrew Jones: Northern Rail is required to use all of its train fleet (allowing for maintenance) at peak times and best match capacity to passenger demand across the franchise. It is for Northern to allocate rolling stock to best fit expected passenger numbers on a day-to-day basis. As you may be aware, we have increased Northern’s train fleet this year, including the introduction of 20 refreshed four coach electric trains in the year to December 2015.In the longer term, unlike the last Northern franchise let under the previous Labour administration in 2004 which included limited plans to invest in services or meet demand, the next Northern Franchise will see the removal of the existing Pacer trains, the ordering at least 120 new-build carriages, the modernising of every train operating on the Northern franchise, more frequent services on many routes on the Northern franchise, and will be providing more services for commuters, during off-peak times and on Sundays. The electrification of Manchester to Preston via Bolton route, for which preparatory work began this year, will also provide the opportunity for greater capacity electric powered trains to provide services for Bolton commuters. By the end of 2019, services into central Manchester will have seen a 49% increase in passenger-carrying capacity during the morning peak compared to five years earlier, and this will help ease the crowding affecting your constituents.

Level Crossings

Mr Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he and Network Rail have to remove level crossings on the mainline between Plymouth and Reading.

Claire Perry: Network Rail operates at arm’s-length from the Department for Transport and is not expected to involve Ministers in its regular operational decisions such as its proposals for the removal or upgrading of level crossings on a particular route.

Department for Transport: Public Expenditure

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what effect the spending reductions agreed between his Department and HM Treasury will have on investment in (a) road, (b) rail, (c) air, (d) ports and ferry services, (e) active and sustainable travel and (f) freight facilities.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Government will provide full details of the Spending Review outcome on 25 November.

Department for Transport: Public Expenditure

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to introduce or increase any revenue raising streams to complement the departmental spending reductions agreed with HM Treasury.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Government will provide full details of the Spending Review outcome on 25 November.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Mrs Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons section 80 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 has not been brought into force.

Andrew Jones: Section 80 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 contains a duty on persons carrying out works in the carriageway. As the question indicates, this has never been brought into force. It concerns occasions where a person undertaking works in the street finds apparatus belonging to an undertaker that does not appear or differs from the underground asset records provided. In such cases, the person would be required to take steps to inform the owner, or keep a record of its location and inform the relevant local authority of the nature of what they have found and its location.The associated section 79 (Records of location of apparatus) of the Act was brought into force in 2003. This section provides that those with apparatus under the street must maintain records of that apparatus, and provide it to those requesting it with a legitimate interest.Some years ago, the industry considered how the requirements in section 80 might operate in practice if they were brought into force. I am aware that at the time, those undertaking street works felt that there would be challenges in identifying the asset owner and conveying the information in a way that would provide an accurate and reliable record for the future. This process could delay completion of the works, causing additional congestion to traffic and adding cost to the job. These consequences conflict with the aims of minimising disruption and cost in carrying out street works. The range of methods used to maintain records, and inconsistency in how the information could be conveyed raised concerns about the feasibility of doing this, and future liability issues.No further consideration has been given to this matter recently.

Transport: Merseyside

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what investment in transport services the Government plans to make in (a) St Helens North constituency and (b) Merseyside as part of the Northern Powerhouse initiative.

Andrew Jones: Investment in this country’s transport infrastructure is vital for long-term economic growth. This is why the Government is committing to long-term investment in the Northern Powerhouse, in road and rail schemes, and is legislating to create Sub-National Transport Bodies.The Government’s Road Investment Strategy (RIS) for the 2015 to 2020 Road Period sets out plans for road schemes across the country. The strategy document is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/road-investment-strategy-for-the-2015-to-2020-road-period.A scheme for delivery in the first Road Period in Merseyside is the A5036 Princess Way – access to Port of Liverpool, a comprehensive upgrade to improve the main link between the Port of Liverpool and motorway network. Other schemes benefitting the wider Merseyside area include the upgrade to Smart Motorway of the M53 junctions 5 to 11 and the M6 junctions 21a to 26. Additionally, junction 22 of the M6 will be upgraded.Details of Local Growth Funds for the Merseyside area, which includes St Helens, are set out in the Liverpool City Region: additional Growth Deal funding factsheet, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/liverpool-city-region-growth-deal.This Growth Deal includes various transport schemes, in particular over £50m of government investment in key transport connections into and within Liverpool City Centre, revitalising the north of the city and better connecting Liverpool’s iconic waterfront to the city centre. Additionally funding has been allocated to the A5300 Knowsley Expressway to maximise the benefits of the New Mersey crossing and access to Liverpool Airport; plus funding for development of a new station at Maghull North, improving transport across north Liverpool.The Government has also made a significant financial commitment to the Mersey Gateway Bridge which is currently under construction and which will improve accessibility across the wider Liverpool city region area. The Thornton to Switch Island link road in Sefton, to relieve congestion in the area and improve highway access between Southport and the North-West motorway system, has also recently been completed after receiving £14.5 million of government funding.The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has been allocated around £88million in local highways maintenance funding for the period 2015/16 to 2020/21, which builds on the around £70million of local highways maintenance funding invested in Merseyside from 2010/11 to 2014/15.St Helens and Liverpool City Region will benefit from the North of England Rail Infrastructure Upgrade Programme. North West Electrification has recently been completed between Liverpool and Manchesterand Liverpool and Wigan and Northern Electric services serve the St Helens North constituency.Liverpool City Region recently signed a devolution deal which will allow local authorities to take on responsibility for local issues on an unprecedented level. The region will also have an elected Mayor. This devolution of powers is part of the Government’s strategy to create a Northern Powerhouse which will enable the North to work together and become greater than the sum of its parts.

Transport for London

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations his Department received from the Mayor of London on the Transport for London Bill.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Mayor has raised the Transport for London Bill with the Secretary of State in writing, and at several of their regular meetings.

Ports: Security

Richard  Arkless: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether a security review has been initiated for the purpose of strengthening port security between Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Mr Robert Goodwill: All maritime security requirements are risk informed and are kept under constant review. The Department for Transport (DfT) works closely with ports, ferry operators and other agencies to ensure the safety of the travelling public.The DfT also has a set of comprehensive maritime security requirements which port facilities and ships are required to implement, with a well-established monitoring and oversight programme in place to ensure compliance with this regime.

Railways: Wifi

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the total annual consumption of wifi data on trains operated by each franchise; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry: The consumption of data by on-train wi-fi varies by the commercial model and proposition offered by the train operating companies.We have made no estimate of total annual consumption.

Railways: Telecommunications Systems

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the Quicksilver project to build out wifi and mobile infrastructure alongside rail lines; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry: Project Quicksilver was a rail industry procurement led by Network Rail to improve mobile coverage along railway routes for the benefit of passengers.Despite receiving a number of positive bids, the industry was not able to find a solution that satisfied the commercial requirements of all parties and delivered the desired connectivity improvements. As a result, Network Rail terminated the procurement.The Government recognises that dropped calls and intermittent access to the internet are frustrations felt by many rail passengers. We are working with the rail and telecommunications industries to reach a collective understanding of the technical and commercial challenges and the potential solution to this problem.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Atrocities Prevention Board

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contact his Department has had with the US Atrocity Prevention Board.

Mr Philip Hammond: Holding answer received on 16 November 2015



FCO officials regularly meet members of the board in the course of normal business, for example at Responsibility to Protect (R2P) meetings during this year’s United Nations General Assembly. The UK is also an active participant in the US-led informal grouping on atrocity prevention which meets every few months to discuss developments and policy priorities.

Sanctions

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many named people from which countries have been subject to UK targeted sanctions in each of the last 10 years.

Mr Philip Hammond: Holding answer received on 16 November 2015



The UK implements EU and UN sanctions. The definitive lists of named individuals subject to sanctions are held by these multilateral bodies. Sanctions usually comprise an asset freeze and/or a travel ban.HM Treasury maintains a consolidated list of individuals subject to financial sanctions [http://hmt-sanctions.s3.amazonaws.com/sanctionsconlist.htm]. At present there are 1,296 individuals on that list. It is not current practice to retain the records of individuals who are no longer subject to targeted sanctions, nor to segment data on an annual basis. The consolidated list is updated whenever an individual is added to, or removed from, an EU or UN sanctions regime. It represents the current situation and is designed specifically to facilitate sanctions implementation and compliance by the private sector. Annualised data for the last 10 years is not held by the UK, EU or UN.

Anguilla: Companies

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the time taken for Anguilla to respond to his Department's consultation on a public register of beneficial ownership; and what assessment he has made of the legitimacy of the reasons for the time that was taken.

James Duddridge: I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the answer given by my Rt Hon Friend, the Member for East Devon (Hugo Swire MP) Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the answer of 10 November 2015 (PQ 15153), and to the answers given by my Hon Friend, the Member for South West Hertfordshire (David Gauke MP), the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 16 October 2015, to (PQ10437, PQ10438 and PQ10448).

Crimes Against Humanity

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which Minister in his Department is responsible for atrocity prevention; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Hammond: Holding answer received on 16 November 2015



The Minister responsible for atrocity prevention in the FCO is Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, James Duddridge MP.

Syria: Overseas Aid

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2014 to Question 219424, what financial support the Government has (a) provided since 1 January 2015 and (b) budgeted to provide in the future to support local governance in opposition-controlled areas.

Mr Philip Hammond: Holding answer received on 16 November 2015



We do not have figures for spend since the start of the calendar year, but the UK has delivered over £85m in non-humanitarian support to Syria, Jordan and Lebanon since the start of the crisis in 2011. A significant amount of this has supported work in moderate opposition-controlled areas, helping to save lives, bolster civil society, build resilience against extremists, promote human rights and accountability, deliver basic governance and help lay the foundations for a more peaceful and inclusive future for Syria.The UK is committed to helping the Syrian people, and will continue its non-humanitarian support next financial year, although a final budget has not yet been allocated.

Morocco: Prisoners

Mr Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will (a) discuss with the Moroccan Ambassador to the UK and (b) instruct the British Ambassador to Morocco to investigate the condition and treatment of Ali Aarrass who is on hunger strike in Sale prison.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Non-Government Organisations reported on 10 November that Ali Aarrass suspended his hunger strike after 72 days. We monitor the human rights situation in Morocco closely.

Western Sahara: Referendums

Mr Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the options that were agreed by the UK, Morocco and the Saharawi under the 1990-91 ceasefire agreement for a referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara have changed.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The options for a referendum on the self-determination of Western Sahara, as set out in the UN Secretary General’s 1990 report and the 1991 MINURSO mandate, have not changed. The UK fully supports UN-led efforts to encourage Morocco and the Polisario Front to agree a lasting and mutually acceptable political solution that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Public Expenditure

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department's expenditure against Departmental Expenditure Limits is in 2015-16; and what his Department's Annually Managed Expenditure in 2015-16 was (a) at the time of the March Budget, (b) at the time of the Summer Budget and (c) on 10 November 2015.

Mr Philip Hammond: Holding answer received on 16 November 2015



Audited spend information for 2015-16 will not be available until the FCO Accounts are published after the end of the financial year. Audited departmental outturn for 2014-15 against both Departmental Expenditure Limits and Annually Managed Expenditure is published in the FCO Annual Report and Accounts which has been placed in the Library of the House of Commons.

Gulf Cooperation Council

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the governments of the Gulf Co-operation Council on improving bilateral trade and security.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Our mutual security and prosperity are key parts of our bilateral relations with the Gulf states. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) discussed security and bilateral trade with the governments of Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on his visit to the Gulf at the end of October.In the last month, I have discussed these issues with Oman and Qatar, at our regular working group meetings; with the Bahraini Royal Court Minister for Follow Up Affairs, Sheikh Ahmed bin Attiyatallah al Khalifa; and with UAE Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs, Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, at the Coalition Counter ISIL Strategic Communications meeting.

Egypt: Fish Farming

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government has provided support for the fish farming industry in Egypt.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Government does not provide support for the fish farming industry in Egypt.

Iran: Baha'i Faith

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart on the human rights of the Bahai community in Iran.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We have repeatedly expressed our concern at the harassment faced by Baha’is in Iran and at the sentencing of seven Baha'i leaders to 20 years in prison. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised human rights concerns during his visit to Tehran in August, including lack of freedoms for all citizens. We will continue to urge the Iranian Government to ensure that all Iranian citizens are able to practise their faith freely, as required by international conventions.

India: Politics and Government

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to raise with the Prime Minister of India during his forthcoming visit the recent death of Sikh protestors in the Punjab following the desecration of the Sikh holy book.

Mr Hugo Swire: We are aware of reports that the Sikh holy book has been desecrated in several temples in Punjab. We regret these incidents, and the disturbances that followed, including the deaths of two protestors. We note that the Indian police are investigating and we hope this process will be completed in due course and that the police will investigate fully. Relations between the Sikhs in India and the Indian government are an internal matter, although we of course encourage both parties to resolve their differences through dialogue.

Golan Heights: Oil

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the resolution of discussions on the sovereignty of oil reserves in the Golan Heights.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Government believes that Israel must continue to fulfil its obligations under the Oslo Accords, including through the exploration of shared natural resources. We continue to follow the situation of the oil exploration licences in the Golan Heights closely. We have been clear that Israel must comply with its obligations under international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Nigeria: Politics and Government

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has held with the government of Nigeria on the situation in Biafra.

James Duddridge: The UK fully supports the territorial integrity of Nigeria and President Buhari’s commitment to work for a secure and prosperous Nigeria for all Nigerians. President Buhari has recently concluded the appointment of a new Government. We will continue to underline the importance of freedom of expression and acting in accordance with the rule of law with all parties, including the new Nigerian government.

Nigeria: Internally Displaced People

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the Nigerian government on returning displaced people to areas previously in the control of Boko Haram.

James Duddridge: We welcome the recent progress made by the Nigerian armed forces in the fight against Boko Haram and the UK continues to support their efforts. The security situation in North East Nigeria however remains extremely fragile and it is not yet appropriate for many displaced people to return to their homes. The UK is supporting the Government of Nigeria and the UN to help those affected by the conflict and we have provided £5.5 million this year for the humanitarian response in North East Nigeria. Tackling Boko Haram will require a comprehensive approach that addresses the political, economic and development problems in North East Nigeria, in addition to a security response. We are supporting the Nigerian authorities to improve security and put the conditions in place to enable the safe return of internally displaced people to their homes.

Nigeria: Terrorism

Tom Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the Nigerian government combat (a) Boko Haram and (b) other terrorist groups.

James Duddridge: We are fully committed to help Nigeria combat Boko Haram and fight terrorism. The UK is providing a substantial and increasing package of UK military, intelligence and development support to Nigeria. This includes increased counter-terrorism cooperation and capacity building, training and advice to units deployed against Boko Haram, £5 million to support a regional taskforce for the North East, as well as humanitarian and development aid to support communities affected by the conflict.

Nigeria: Boko Haram

Tom Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the threat posed by Boko Haram in Nigeria.

James Duddridge: We welcome the recent successes achieved by the Nigerian armed forces against Boko Haram. However, despite being pushed back from key population centres in North East Nigeria, the group remains a threat to stability, launching regular suicide bomb attacks both in Nigeria and neighbouring countries. It is estimated that over 20,000 people have been killed, over 2.2 million have been displaced and at least 4.6 million have been affected by the insurgency. The UK is supporting President Buhari and the Government of Nigeria in their stated commitment to defeat Boko Haram.

Egypt: Security

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) assess and (b) help improve security at Sharm el-Sheikh airport; and what assessment he has made of the incidence of corruption amongst staff at the airport.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: As Department for Transport (DfT) leads on aviation security, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is helping to ensure that they are able to work closely with Egyptian counterparts to address security at Sharm el Sheikh airport. A team of DfT aviation security experts travelled to Sharm el Shaikh on 4 November to assess security at the airport and ensure measures were in place to enable travellers to return safely to the UK. The FCO is also working with DfT and Egyptian counterparts to put in place a plan to ensure measures in place at Sharm el Sheikh are sustainable. The investigation into the cause of the aircrash is ongoing.

India: Foreign Relations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department's aims are for the visit of Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.

Mr Hugo Swire: The Government was pleased to welcome Prime Minister Modi to the United Kingdom. Prime Minister Modi is the head of world’s largest democracy. The visit was a celebration of a rich, wide-ranging and mature relationship between our two countries, symbolised by 1.5 million Britons of Indian origin. We want to deepen our extensive trade and investment links further. We will also discuss how to enhance our defence and international security partnership to enable both our countries to address together the many common global threats we face.

Turks and Caicos Islands: Haiti

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the recent increase in migrants from Haiti to the Turks and Caicos Islands on local resources on those islands.

James Duddridge: While the number of arrivals of illegal migrants to the Turks and Caicos Islands has decreased over the last two years, each occurrence continues to place a strain on local government resources and increases the risk for loss of life particularly for those arriving in overcrowded boats. Our Embassy in Haiti is pressing the Haitian government to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding to establish agreed arrangements for repatriations and better communication on migration issues.

Turks and Caicos Islands: Haiti

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to help tackle the (a) recent increase in illegal transport of weapons from Haiti to the Turks and Caicos Islands and (b) the increase in gun crime in those islands.

James Duddridge: Through the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund, the UK is spending £5.5 million in 2015/2016 to help the Caribbean region in its efforts to reduce serious and organised crime and build more secure borders. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Law Enforcement Adviser in Miami oversees the use of programme funds to provide competency and capability training to Turks and Caicos Islands law enforcement officers to improve the maritime interdiction of illegal firearms, migrants and drugs. Furthermore, the Governor and Premier of Turks and Caicos Islands have agreed to the formation of a National Security Council. At its inaugural meeting on 21 October, it agreed to draft a National Security Strategy to address current and long term security issues facing Turks and Caicos Islands including gun crime. Meanwhile, UK Ministers approved a Supplementary Budget estimate of $0.75m submitted by the Turks and Caicos Islands government to carry out an external review of recent murders in the country and to purchase essential crime investigation equipment.

Egypt: Security

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to cooperate with his Egyptian counterpart on measures to (a) counter security threats and (b) ensure the safety of air passengers travelling from Egypt.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: On 5 November, the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) and I spoke with President Sisi and Foreign Minister Shoukry about the safety of air passengers travelling to and from Egypt. Her Majesty's Ambassador in Cairo is in regular contact with the Egyptian authorities, and the UK has an ongoing dialogue with Egypt on security issues.The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is engaging with international partners about the ongoing aircrash investigation and its implications. We have shared all information we are able to share and discussed our conclusions with partners. We are also helping officials from the Department for Transport to work closely with Egyptian counterparts to ensure necessary airport security measures are in force. The safety of British nationals remains our priority.

Egypt: Aviation

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to support the Russian government since the crash of Airbus 321 in Egypt.

Mr David Lidington: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on the day of the Sinai air crash to express the UK Government's deepest condolences for the tragic loss of life. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), has spoken to President Putin on two occasions to offer his condolences and any assistance the UK might be able to provide, and to set out our assessment of the cause of the crash and the steps we have taken to ensure the safety of our citizens. The Prime Minister and President Putin also met in the margins of the G20 Summit in Antalya. We have also followed up at senior official level with further details and to offer practical cooperation and coordination in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Egypt: Christianity

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he or his Ministers have had with their Egyptian counterparts on (a) the reconstruction and repair of churches and other Christian property and (b) the granting of licences for new churches in Egypt.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: There have been no recent discussions between ministers and the Egyptian government on these issues. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have discussed these issues with church representatives in Egypt. The UK remains clear that the freedom of religious belief needs to be protected and that the ability to worship in peace is a vital component of a democratic society. We look to the Egyptian government to implement the rights contained in Egypt’s constitution, which includes protections for freedom of religious belief.

Caribbean and Central America: Security

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the UK's contribution to the EU Strategy on Citizen Security in Central America and the Caribbean is for 2014-15.

Mr Hugo Swire: The United Kingdom supports the EU Strategy on Citizen Security in Central America and the Caribbean, which is aligned with our own bilateral efforts and priorities. The United Kingdom has been actively involved in negotiations to develop both the Strategy and subsequent delivery-focused Action Plan. The United Kingdom’s contribution to the delivery of the Strategy in 2014-15 is reflected in our contribution to the EU Annual Budget (15.7% in2015), and in ensuring that UK and EU activities in the region are complementary.

Equatorial Guinea: Human Rights

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the government of Equitorial Guinea on human rights and freedom of speech in that country.

James Duddridge: We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Equitorial Guinea, including the lack of freedom of expression and assembly, the lack of transparency and high levels of corruption. We are concerned about a recent Presidential decree which saw a total dissolution of the judiciary. Equitorial Guinea must meet its international obligations to protect the independence of the judiciary and respect the rule of law.We have no diplomatic mission or resident diplomatic staff in Equatorial Guinea. Nonetheless we remain committed to raising human rights concerns with the Government of Equitorial Guinea where we can, and we have outlined concerns to the Equitorial Guinea Ambassador in London, and through visits to Equitorial Guinea of our non-resident Ambassador (based in Cameroon). We will continue to raise our concerns through these channels.

Burma: Ethnic Groups

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to raise the security, humanitarian access, freedom of movement and citizenship rights of ethnic groups with the Burmese government.

Mr Hugo Swire: The Government consistently raises concerns about the human rights situation in Burma, including for all ethnic groups, with the Burmese government. However, these are issues that particularly affect the Muslim Rohingya community in Rakhine State, who are subject to persecution and denied the most basic rights. I and other Ministers take every appropriate opportunity, both publicly and in private, to press the Burmese authorities to take urgent steps to address the desperate situation of the Rohingya. I did this with senior Burmese ministers during my visit to Burma in July, when I travelled to Rakhine State for the second time. Most recently, I raised the issue with the Burmese Foreign Minister, Wunna Maung Lwin, in September in New York. We will continue our efforts to address the serious, ongoing human rights violations against the Rohingya community, including with whoever forms the next Government of Burma.

North Africa: Overseas Aid

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for International Development on contributing to the European Commission's North Africa Trust Fund.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK continues to contribute to the North Africa Trust Fund at the same level as comparable EU states, and has allocated funds to tackle the root causes of migration from the Horn of Africa. There have been no recent discussions between the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Secretary of State for International Development on contributing to the European Commission's North Africa Trust Fund.

Central African Republic: Armed Conflict

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to tackle the conflict in Central African Republic.

James Duddridge: The UK’s focus in the Central African Republic is on working with the international community to improve security throughout the country. We support the Transitional Authorities in their preparation for elections, and assist with justice, governance and state administration. The UK co-sponsored a UN Security Council Resolution authorising the deployment of a UN Peacekeeping Operation, MINUSCA, which launched in September 2014. The operation is focussing on restoring stability, preventing human rights abuses, and promoting reconciliation. The UK has also supported the EU Military Advisory Mission to the Central African Republic which launched in March 2015. The mission provides the government of the Central African Republic with expert advice on security sector reform. In addition, the UK co-funded the African Union’s 2014 deployment of experts to the Central African Republic to support victims of sexual violence.

India: Minority Groups

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will raise the issue of minority rights during the visit of Prime Minister Modi of India; and if he will specifically raise (a) Sikh political prisoners in India and (b) the case of Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa.

Mr Hugo Swire: Human rights were discussed during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the United Kingdom. We welcome his reaffirmation that he governs for all Indians. The British High Commission in India regularly discusses the treatment of minorities, including the Sikh community, with the Indian National Commission for Minorities and with state governments across India. I also personally raised the issue of religious minorities with the Indian Minister of External Affairs, General V K Singh on 5 November. Relations between the Sikh community in India and the Indian government are ultimately an internal matter, but we encourage both parties to resolve their differences through dialogue.Although India’s Supreme Court partially lifted its suspension on the premature release of life prisoners by state governments on 23 July, the Court ruled that this would not apply to those cases which were investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI); central agencies or under federal law. This ruling applies to all cases regardless of the perpetrator’s ethnic identity. Specific issues of sentencing are a matter for the Indian authorities and we cannot interfere in their judicial system.We are aware of Surat Singh Khalsa’s hunger strike and continue to monitor developments, including Mr Singh Khalsa’s health.

Burma: Politics and Government

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to facilitate a transition in Burma from dictatorship to democracy.

Mr Hugo Swire: The United Kingdom has supported Burma’s reform process which started in 2011 and led to the parliamentary elections on 8 November. We have allocated around £25m over five years to strengthen democratic governance in Burma. This included support to the elections through the provision of technical advice to the Burmese election commission, voter education and monitoring and observation of the electoral process. While the elections were not perfect, they were largely peaceful, orderly and well–run on the day. We are monitoring closely the tabulation of the voting and the formation of the next government which will follow. We hope to continue our policy of engagement with the next Burmese government to continue to encourage Burma along its journey of democratic reform.

Turks and Caicos Islands: Haiti

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent people migrating illegally from Haiti to the Turks & Caicos islands.

James Duddridge: Through the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund the Ministry of Defence has delivered maritime training to the Turks and Caicos Islands to build maritime police capacity as well as to facilitate their participation in Exercise TRADEWINDS 16, an annual regional exercise sponsored by the United States. This will enable Turks and Caicos Islands maritime police to work and train in partnership with the Royal Bahamian Defence Force and the United States Coastguard, to develop mutual capacity, relations and integration to help deter and detect irregular migration. Her Majesty's Government has also funded an Immigration Adviser between September 2013 and March 2015 to help build Turks and Caicos Island’s capacity to deal with the full range of migration challenges.Our Embassy in Haiti continues to press the Haitian government to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding to establish agreed arrangements for repatriations and better communication on migration issues. In parallel, our Embassy in Haiti will be taking forward work on a public diplomacy campaign in Northern Haiti to highlight the dangers and risks of attempting the dangerous sea crossing.

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to use the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to prioritise the strengthening of diplomatic and economic ties with Commonwealth countries.

Mr Hugo Swire: This Government has worked hard to strengthen the UK's diplomatic and economic ties with the Commonwealth, including expanding our representation in Commonwealth countries. For example, the Foreign Secretary opened a new Deputy High Commission in Chandigarh, India, in March 2015. Strengthening of Foreign and Commonwealth Office and UK Trade and Investment commercial teams has taken place in Canada, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, Cameroon, Papua New Guinea and Guyana. One result of this is the East Africa Oil & Gas High Value Opportunity (HVO), which will support UK businesses in gaining access to local markets.However, we agree that the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Malta is a further opportunity to strengthen these ties, by renewing the Commonwealth and demonstrating unity and a shared sense of purpose around priority issues. The CHOGM non-governmental fora, including the Commonwealth Business Forum to be attended by both the Right Hon. Lord Maude of Horsham and I, will be an additional opportunity for the UK to enhance economic ties across the Commonwealth. The UK looks forward to a successful CHOGM 2015, which showcases the Commonwealth as a united, unique, vital and ambitious organisation that is capable of tackling modern global challenges.

Burma: Children

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of steps taken by (a) his Department and (b) the Burmese government to stop the use of child soldiers in that country.

Mr Hugo Swire: We welcomed the commitment the Burmese government made to ending the recruitment of child soldiers in signing the UN’s Action Plan in 2012. Since then Burma has made some progress, including the release of over 600 child soldiers and, in September, signing the Optional Protocol to the Convention on Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. However, we are clear that more still needs to be done. Access to military units and non-state armed groups continues to be restricted, release of child soldiers has been limited, and while recruitment of children has slowed, it has not ceased entirely. We are also aware of reports that children continue to be arrested for “desertion”. I raised this issue with Minister of the President’s Office, U Aung Min, when I visited Burma in July and we will continue to do so with the Burmese authorities, including to press for swift implementation of the Optional Protocol.

Burma: Elections

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the freedom of elections in Burma in November 2015 and the fairness of the outcome of that election as reflected in the distribution of seats in that country's parliament.

Mr Hugo Swire: It is for the people of Burma, and their political representatives, to decide whether they are satisfied with the outcome of the elections. Preliminary reports from international observers, including the EU, note that while there were shortcomings, the elections in Burma on 8 November were largely peaceful, orderly and well-run. Although the final results have not yet been officially announced, the National League for Democracy has already achieved enough votes to have won a mandate to form the next government, and the government has said it will accept the result. The UK stands ready to support the people of Burma, including those who were unable to vote, as the country moves to the next stage of its transition.

Burma: Sexual Offences

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of steps taken by (a) his Department and (b) the Burmese government to prevent sexual violence in conflict in Burma.

Mr Hugo Swire: Sexual violence in conflict remains a significant problem in Burma and we are focused on practical action to tackle it. There have been some signs of improvement since the Burmese government endorsed the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, at the London Global Summit in June 2014, but we continue to press for more.During my visit to Burma in July 2015, I pressed the Burmese government at senior ministerial level on the issue and launched the International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence. The UK was also instrumental in facilitating the visit to Burma this summer of the Special Envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Angelina Jolie Pitt. We continue to push the agenda in international fora, including through UN resolutions on Burma at the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council, which we co-sponsor. At Burma’s 6 November Universal Periodic Review at the UN in Geneva, ending sexual violence and improving the rights of women and girls was a focus of our recommendations.

Burma: Elections

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of (a) disqualifications of parliamentary candidates, (b) disenfranchisement of ethnic groups and (c) inaccuracy and omissions from the voter lists in elections in Burma in November 2015.

Mr Hugo Swire: The British Govenment was concerned by the disqualification of parliamentary candidates, which disproportionately affected Muslim nominees. Of the 6,074 candidates who registered, 99 nominations were rejected, of which 22 were Muslim. Of these, 67 appealed, and 24 decisions were overturned of which 11 were Muslim. The EU Election Observation Mission's (EOM) preliminary statement of 10 November stated that since the rejections predominantly focused on the strict application of the citizenship requirement, this impacted particularly heavily on Muslim candidates. The EU EOM estimated that only 28 Muslim candidates stood in total. The UK has regularly expressed its deep disappointment with the decision to revoke Temporary Residence Cards (‘White Cards’) which effectively disenfranchised the Rohingya community from the vote, as well as some other minorities. The EU EOM noted that, as a result, universal suffrage was not properly provided for, and the elections were not fully inclusive. Improving the conditions for the Rohingya remains a top priority for the UK. As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymead and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) said in his statement of 10 November: ‘The UK stands ready to support the people of Burma as they continue to work towards a more democratic and accountable government, including those unable to vote in this election.’ Ahead of polling day there were widespread concerns about the accuracy of the voter lists. However, on the day, the EU EOM noted that: ‘Most voters, in polling stations visited, found their names on the voter list, but in 7% of polling stations visited some absences on the list were observed.’

Burma: Elections

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance his Department has provided to the EU election observation mission overseeing elections in Burma in November 2015.

Mr Hugo Swire: The United Kingdom lobbied the EU to deploy an Election Observation Mission to Burma and we welcomed their deployment of a 136-person mission. The presence of international observers, including from the EU, was a key part of the United Kingdom’s strategy for deterring fraud in Burma’s elections on 8 November.

Burma: Foreign Relations

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to meet the new President of Burma; and if he will raise the issue of human rights abuses of ethnic groups in that country with the President.

Mr Hugo Swire: Burma's next president will not be chosen when the new parliament convenes in February 2016.

Bangladesh: Religious Freedom

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of freedom of religion and belief in Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Hugo Swire: The Government is concerned by the violence directed towards those expressing secular or atheist views in Bangladesh. Ministers have been unequivocal in our condemnation of the murder of five secular bloggers and publishers in Bangladesh this year, and in calling for the Bangladesh government to protect those who face threats to their lives because of the views they have expressed. My noble Friend the right hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns, our High Commissioner in Dhaka and myself, in my statement on 7 August, have all expressed shock at the appalling murders and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice and free speech protected. In my 14 August blog I said that Bangladesh is a secular country, with a rich tradition of freedom and religious tolerance. That should be commended, protected and preserved.The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Heiner Bielefeldt, visited Bangladesh from 31 August to 9 September. We look forward to the release of his report at the UN Human Rights Council in March 2016 and will encourage the government to consider all its recommendations carefully.

Syria: Armed Conflict

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how the Government plans to use its position on the UN Security Council to facilitate diplomatic negotiations on protecting civilians in Syria.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Protection of civilians in Syria, as well as those who have been forced to flee the country, is a priority for the UK. In the UN Security Council the UK has co-sponsored a number of humanitarian resolutions that call for an end to: indiscriminate attacks on civilians, including the use of barrel bombs; starvation as a method of warfare; and obstruction of the flow of humanitarian aid. Specifically, the UK played a key role in negotiating UN Security Council Resolution 2191, which has allowed the UN and its partners to deliver aid across Syria’s borders to people who were previously denied access, including food for 2.1 million people and medical supplies for 2.5 million people. The UK will use its seat on the UN Security Council to push proactively for a renewal of Resolution 2191.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Families

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to embed the Family Test into its policy making.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 16 November 2015 (PQ 15345).

Department for International Development

Nepal: Borders

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of protests at border crossings between Nepal and India on the supply of (a) fuel, (b) medicine and (c) blood to Nepal.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The current disruption in the Terai and at a number of border posts has affected the importation and distribution within Nepal of supplies of goods. This has included fuel, food and health commodities, such as vaccines and medicines. Acute shortages of diesel, petrol as well as cooking gas have been felt across Nepal for the past weeks. This has had an impact on movement around the country as well as distribution networks for key commodities.DFID Nepal is currently working with the Ministry of Health and Population, World Health Organisation and other partners to undertake a rapid assessment of the health impacts of the crisis, including the availability medicines and blood products at health facilities. DFID is also engaging with the Government of Nepal, as well as our development and humanitarian partners, to track the current situation. DFID continue to urge all parties to resolve their differences through peaceful dialogue as soon as possible and resolve the current difficulties.

Africa and Asia: Nutrition

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to improve the reliability and collection of data on nutrition in countries in Asia and Africa.

Mr Desmond Swayne: DFID has been taking a range of steps to improve the reliability and collection of data on nutrition. These include organising an informal expert consultation on nutrition data gaps in June this year; working with the European Commission to establish National Information Platforms for Nutrition; developing innovative metrics and methods for agriculture for nutrition; continuing to fund the Global Nutrition Report, which gives particular focus to data quality and availability and continues to undertake analysis to identify priority areas for investment; funding the Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN) programme; and continuing to work with other donors to coordinate our funding on nutrition.In addition, the UK and US jointly announced that they will partner with the GODAN Secretariat to organise a 2016 GODAN Summit. We will also commission research in early 2016 to test innovative and feasible approaches to collect data, with sufficient frequency in more fragile settings, which should enable better management of malnutrition when shocks and disasters arise.The UK will continue to provide strong leadership to maintain global momentum on nutrition and will continue to work hard to deliver its promises to scale up its work on nutrition between now and 2020.

Syria: Armed Conflict

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to support the Syrian people in establishing a framework for post-conflict reconstruction.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The UK has been at the forefront of the response to the crisis in Syria and the region. We have pledged over £1.1 billion to date, our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis. We are the second largest bilateral donor after the US.In addition to humanitarian support, the Department for International Development is working closely with the Syrian National Coalition, NGOs, civil society, and human rights activists to strengthen the ability of the moderate opposition to provide governance and services inside Syria in a way that will help prepare the ground for post-conflict reconstruction. The UK is also helping the National Coalition to build its capacity as an institution, to meet the needs of Syrians and to represent their interests.

Syria: Refugees

Dawn Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department is providing to aid agencies and international partners to prepare Syrian refugee camps for winter.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The UK has been at the forefront of the response to the crisis in Syria and the region. We have pledged over £1.1 billion to date, our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis. We are the second largest bilateral donor after the US.DFID is supporting 11 implementing partners to prepare and respond to the onset of winter across Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. This financial year, we have provided £221 million to these 11 partners to support their emergency programmes, of which £12.9 million has been committed for specific winter response activities such as the provision of warm clothing, thermal blankets, fuel and cash to support thousands of vulnerable families across the region.

Election Observers

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department has spent on election observation (a) in real terms and (b) as a proportion of her Department's budget since 2010.

Mr Desmond Swayne: DFID tracks its spending on support to elections, and this encompasses election observation to build public confidence in electoral processes and help deter fraud, intimidation and violence. DFID spent a total of £212 million on bilateral and multilateral support to elections during the period 2010/11 to 2014/15 which represents 0.5% of DFID total spend. During this period DFID has funded elections observation in a number of countries often as part of wider election programmes, for example in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Kosovo, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Sudan.

Department for International Development: Families

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to embed the Family Test into its policy making.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The Family Test does not apply to DFID's work as its scope is limited to domestic policy areas.

Iran: Refugees

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to support refugees from Iran; and what recent assessment she has made of the safety of Iranian refuges in Iraq.

Mr Desmond Swayne: Since 2011, the UK has provided £163 million of core funding to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to deliver protection and assistance to refugees globally. The UK works with the Government of Iraq, Kurdish Regional Government, the UN and the international community to support the rights of all minorities and to ensure our aid reaches those in greatest need.

Department for Education

Special Educational Needs

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent representations she has received from heads of special educational needs schools on the increase in costs from national insurance and pension scheme contributions.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The Department has received a large number of letters from headteachers about the increase in national insurance and pension scheme contributions, some of which have been from special schools.We are committed to protecting schools funding, as we pledged in our manifesto. Throughout this Parliament, as pupil numbers increase so too will the amount of money for our schools.

Digital Technology: Education

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to take steps to promote the STEAM agenda in schools to support the development of skills for careers in creative digital sectors.

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the contribution of art subjects to ensuring people develop the skills needed for a career in the creative digital economy.

Nick Gibb: Both the arts and STEM subjects are important in developing the skills people need for the global economy, including the creative digital economy.The national curriculum sets the expectation that pupils study the arts subjects in Key Stages 1 to 3 and the arts are one of four "entitlement areas” at Key Stage 4. Provisional figures show that since 2012, the percentage of pupils for all schools with at least one GCSE entry in an arts subject has increased from 44.4% to 48.7% in 2015.[1] We are reforming all GCSEs and A levels, including STEM and arts subjects, to make them robust and rigorous; to match the best education systems in the world; and to keep pace with universities’ and employers’ demands.It is important that pupils are given the information and advice to choose a combination of subjects that will open doors for their future. The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) is an employer-led, independent organisation strengthening links between schools, colleges, employers and careers and enterprise organisations, including in the digital and technological sectors, to inspire young people and prepare them for the world of work.[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/473178/EBacc_and_non-EBacc_subject_entries_and_achievement.pdf

Teachers: Training

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 16 November 2015 to Question 15281, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the number of teachers trained in the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: There are now more, better-qualified teachers in England’s classrooms than ever before. In November 2014 there were 454,900 full time equivalent (FTE) teachers, up 5,200 from the previous year and up 13,100 from 2010. A record 96.6 per cent of all teachers now hold a degree or higher qualification.Teacher vacancy rates have remained stable at around 1 per cent of all posts for over a decade, and retention rates have also remained stable over the same period. Approximately 90 per cent of teachers are in service in the year after they qualify, and 72 per cent of those who qualified in 2009 were still teaching 5 years later. Over the longer term, over 60 per cent of teachers remain in service 10 years after qualifying.Nevertheless, we recognise that teacher recruitment is a challenge as the economy continues to strengthen and competition for new graduates intensifies; this is particularly true in certain areas of the country. We are taking steps to attract more top graduates and career changers into the profession, particularly in those core academic subjects that help children reach their potential. This includes offering generous financial incentives, such as tax-free bursaries of up to £30,000 for top graduates in priority subjects such as physics.

Church Commissioners

Church of England: Land

Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, for what reason the Church Commissioners have not released land for the construction of a primary school, in accordance with previous legal undertakings, at the Paston Reserve urban extension in Peterborough; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs Caroline Spelman: The Church Commissioners are involved in the development of Paston Reserve in Peterborough. Within the development there is provision for a site and financial contributions towards the delivery of a primary school site as outlined within the agreed Section 106 legal agreement that accompanied the planning permission, and that was varied by agreement with the Council in 2010. The Section 106 agreement provides that the primary school site must be delivered prior to any house occupation on the third phase of development on the site and also outlines the trigger points at which the financial contributions for the school will be provided. Based on these legal requirements, the land for the primary school site at Paston Reserve has not been provided yet, because the site has not progressed to a third phase of development. The first phase on the site is still under construction, and as outlined in our response to the hon. Gentleman’s question [3389] answered on the 29 June 2015, the second phase of development is likely to commence at some point in 2016. The development remains in accordance with the legal provisions of the Section 106 agreed with Peterborough Council.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Diwali

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which Diwali celebrations he, his predecessor or Ministers in his Department attended in 2014 and 2015.

Mr Edward Vaizey: Government ministers were in attendance at the Prime Minister's Diwali reception at No 10 Downing Street to celebrate the biggest festival in the Hindu calendar. Due to prior diary commitments, DCMS ministers were unable to attend Diwali celebrations this year in their official capacity.

Arts: West Midlands

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding his Department has provided to support the arts in the West Midlands in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Edward Vaizey: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 20 November 2015.The correct answer should have been:

More than £258m Government investment in the arts(Grant in Aid) -which is distributed by Arts Council England - has been provided to theWest Midlands in the last five years, as set out in the table. This compares with just over £253m over the previous five years, from 2005/6 to 2009/10.More than £258m Government investment in the arts(Grant in Aid) -which is distributed by Arts Council England - has been provided to theWest Midlands in the last five years, as set out in the table. This compares with just over £253m over the previous five years, from 2005/6 to 2009/10.West Midlands Regional arts GIA funding breakdown in £000s:2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/15£51,257£46,410£53,397£53,883£53,161The ArtsCouncil is investing in retaining talent and boosting production capacity outside of London - in Warwickshire, this includes £2.1 million to help the Royal Shakespeare Company modernise its workshops; and £495,000 to theNew Vic Theatre in Staffordshire, towards upgrading the building's infrastructure, mainauditorium and visitor facilities.

Mr Edward Vaizey: More than £258m Government investment in the arts(Grant in Aid) -which is distributed by Arts Council England - has been provided to theWest Midlands in the last five years, as set out in the table. This compares with just over £253m over the previous five years, from 2005/6 to 2009/10.More than £258m Government investment in the arts(Grant in Aid) -which is distributed by Arts Council England - has been provided to theWest Midlands in the last five years, as set out in the table. This compares with just over £253m over the previous five years, from 2005/6 to 2009/10.West Midlands Regional arts GIA funding breakdown in £000s:2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/15£51,257£46,410£53,397£53,883£53,161The ArtsCouncil is investing in retaining talent and boosting production capacity outside of London - in Warwickshire, this includes £2.1 million to help the Royal Shakespeare Company modernise its workshops; and £495,000 to theNew Vic Theatre in Staffordshire, towards upgrading the building's infrastructure, mainauditorium and visitor facilities.

Coastal Areas

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate his Department has made of the value to tourism and to the national economy of the UK coastline.

Tracey Crouch: There were more than 23 million overnight visits to the English, Scottish and Welsh seaside by GB residents in 2014, which resulted in spending of £4.9 billion, according to the Great Britain Tourism Survey. Additionally, therewere 144 million day visits by GB residents where the seaside was the main place visited in 2014 which resulted in spending of almost £5 billion.

Broadband

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with industry representatives on the Universal Service Obligation announced by the Prime Minister on 7 November 2015; and what representations he has received from such representatives since.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State and DCMS officials have discussed the Government's intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) with industry representatives, and will be meeting fixed and mobile operators in coming weeks. The Government will launch a public consultation early next year in preparation for the implementation of a new broadband USO by 2020,with the ambition to give people the legal right to request a connection to broadband with speeds of 10 Mbps, no matter where in the country they live.

Broadband

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Prime Minister's announcement of 7 November 2015 on broadband access, what discussions he has had with Ofcom on a Universal Service Obligation for broadband; and whether Ofcom were aware of the obligation before it was announced.

Mr Edward Vaizey: DCMS has been discussing the Government's intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) with Ofcom, who will have a key role to play in providing technical and regulatory advice as the process moves forward. The Government will launch a public consultation early next year in preparation for the implementation of a new broadband USO by 2020,with the ambition to give people the legal right to request a connection to broadband with speeds of 10 Mbps, no matter where in the country they live.

Broadband: Productivity

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the provision of high-speed broadband infrastructure on productivity.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to improve the UK's productivity.

Mr Edward Vaizey: SQW Consulting’s UK Broadband impact study in 2013 estimates that the availability and take-up of faster broadband speeds will add about £17 billion to the UK’s annual Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2024.This Government is helping increase productivity across the UK by investing in and widening access to key digital infrastructure. We are on track to deliver our commitment to provide superfast broadband coverage to 95% of the UK by the end of 2017.Our£40m Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme was taken up by over 55,000 small and medium sized businesses - who employ a million people right across the UK and are already reporting, on average, a £1,300 per year increase in profits and a new job being created for every four new connections. ThePrime Minister recentlyannounced plans to ensure that every home and business can have access to fast broadband by the end of this Parliament.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish a financial assessment and analysis of the effectiveness of badger culling in the first three quarters of 2015.

George Eustice: The expected benefits of the policy remain in line with those in the ‘Measures to address bovine tuberculosis in badgers’ impact assessment published in 2011.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Dorset

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the cost benefit analysis of the year 1 and 2 badger cull pilots; for what reasons the roll-out to Dorset of the badger culls went ahead prior to the publication of that cost benefit analysis; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice: The expected benefits of the policy remain in line with those in the ‘Measures to address bovine tuberculosis in badgers’ impact assessment published in 2011.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas: Excise Duties

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with HM Treasury on the removal of the fuel duty escalator for liquefied petroleum gas as part of government proposals to reduce emissions from road transport.

Rory Stewart: Defra has had no discussions with HM Treasury about the removal of the fuel duty escalator for liquefied petroleum gas.

Foxes: Trapping

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish her Department's new code of practice on the use of fox snares.

Rory Stewart: In 2012 Defra published research on the extent of use and humaneness of snares in England and Wales. Ministers are currently considering options.

Birds of Prey: Conservation

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she will publish the Joint Hen Harrier Recovery Plan.

Rory Stewart: We have been working with Sub-Group members to finalise the Hen Harrier Action Plan with a view to publishing it shortly.

Department for Energy and Climate Change

Renewable Energy: Investment

Callum McCaig: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the effect on investor confidence in the UK electricity generation market following the recent announcements surrounding the Renewables Obligation closure and reductions in feed-in tariffs.

Andrea Leadsom: We conducted an engagement exercise to better understand the views of stakeholders on the early closure of the Renewable Obligation to onshore wind. To protect investor confidence a grace period was proposed in June, and we have subsequently proposed amendments to this in response to stakeholder feedback over the summer. We consider this will strike the right balance between consumer and industry interests.We also ran a consultation on changes to support for small scale solar projects under the Renewable Obligation and one on the feed-in tariff review. We strongly welcomed evidence from the sector during these consultations and we hope this will allow us to improve our understanding of the impact on jobs and investment.The measures we announced are about getting costs under control, which is essential to provide the foundations for clean electricity investment in the future. We will still be delivering at or above the EMR Delivery Plan ranges and reaching at least 30% electricity generation from renewables by 2020. So we are still supporting a strong pipeline of projects that are bringing jobs and investment across the UK.

Housing: Fuel Oil

Mr Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to support the development of domestic oil purchasing syndicates.

Andrea Leadsom: I continue to see domestic oil purchasing syndicates as an important route for consumers to get the best price possible. My priority is keeping bills low for hardworking families and businesses, and with winter on its way it makes sense for consumers to plan ahead. The Department also recommends heating oil users to buy their heating fuel sooner rather than later to avoid longer delivery times as demand increases.

Energy: Prices

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what representations she has made to energy companies to ensure they pass on reductions in the wholesale price of gas and electricity to the consumer.

Andrea Leadsom: Holding answer received on 19 November 2015



DECC ministers and officials meet with energy companies on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues.The government expects suppliers to make sure any reductions in the costs of supplying energy are passed to consumers.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate she has made of the effect that the offshore wind industry has on stimulating investment in the north of England.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Energy: Competition

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department has taken in response to the provisional report of the Competition and Markets Authority's findings on the energy market; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department responded to the CMA’s provisional findings on 31 July (copy attached).We are committed to implementing the final recommendations of the CMA and we currently expect their final report in April 2016.



DECC Response to CMA 31.07.15
(PDF Document, 101.9 KB)

Department of Energy and Climate Change: Cost Effectiveness

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what cost savings her Department is planning to make in the current financial year.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Hinkley Point C Power Station: Finance

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether the agreement signed with China to fund Hinckley Point C nuclear reactor includes funding from China for (a) decommissioning costs and (b) emergency clean-up costs.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department of Energy and Climate Change: Public Expenditure

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what her Department's spending on (a) temporary agency staff, (b) consultants, (c) non-payroll staff, (d) administration and (e) marketing and advertising was in (i) 2014-15 prices and (ii) as a share of her Department's total budget in each year since 2010-11.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department of Energy and Climate Change: Public Expenditure

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what her Department's expected underspend is against departmental expenditure limits in the current fiscal year; and what her Department's latest forecast of total AME spend is for this year compared to forecasts at the time of the (a) Summer Budget 2015 and (b) March Budget 2015.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Attorney General

Crown Prosecution Service: Expenditure

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney General, what estimate he has made of Crown Prosecution Service expenditure on (a) victim liaison units and (b) witness care units in real terms in each year since 2010-11.

Robert Buckland: It is not possible to provide the actual expenditure on Witness Care Units (WCUs) and Victim Liaison Units (VLUs) without incurring a disproportionate cost since this information is not separately captured by the CPS. However, the total budget allocated for the administration of WCUs and VLUs in each year since 2010-11 is detailed in the following table;WCUsVLU’s2010-11£5,500,000-2011-12£4,000,000-2012-13£4,000,000-2013-14£4,000,000-2014-15£2,500,000£1,500,000In each of the last four years the CPS has allocated £2.5 million of its Voted expenditure to WCUs. The remainder of the total CPS allocation was funded by income from the Ministry of Justice, via the Victims Surcharge up to and including 2013-14.Witness attendance rates (which are used as a proxy for satisfaction) have remained above 80%.

Crown Prosecution Service: Staff

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney General, how many (a) victim liaison officers and (b) witness care officers were employed by the Crown Prosecution Service in each year since 2010-11.

Robert Buckland: The total number of (a) victim liaison officers and (b) witness care officers that were employed by the Crown Prosecution Service at the end of each year since 2010-11, can be seen in the table below.Victim Liaison [1]Witness CareFTEFTE2010/11N/A182.52011/12N/A137.82012/13N/A118.52013/14N/A89.22014/15 44.1176.4Notes:Data extracted from the CPS HR Database iTrent as at the 31st March in each year. Data may be subject to change due to retrospective changes in the HR database. Data may differ from previously published data due to differing specifications.There has been a reduction in total staff numbers and the proportion of the workforce that is employed in witness care units from a peak in 2008. Witness care has been dealt with primarily by the joint CPS/police Witness Care Units. However, most of the staff in WCUs are, and have always been, police staff. Witness attendance rates (which are used as a proxy for satisfaction) have remained above 80%.[1] Dedicated Victim Liaison Units were established by the CPS in 2014

Wales Office

Wales Office: Families

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps his Department is taking to implement the family test.

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many of his Department's policies have been assessed against the family test; what steps he has taken to publish the outcome of such assessments; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Crabb: The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014. DWP published guidance for Departments and officials on how the test should be applied when formulating policy and my Department follows that guidance.The Family Test is an integral part of the policy making process and is applied in a proportionate way in the development of all new policy in line with the Family Test guidance. While the guidance states that departments should consider publishing assessments carried out under the Test, there is no requirement to do so.

Ministry of Justice

Reoffenders: Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answers of 21 July 2015 to Questions 6745, 6746, 6747, 6748, 6749 and 6750, what the length was of each custodial sentence handed down; and which courts imposed the non-immediate custodial sentences referred to in those Answers.

Andrew Selous: Crime is falling but offenders committing serious offences are more likely to go to prison and for longer. Sentencing is a matter for our independent courts, taking into account the maximum penalty for the offence, the relevant sentencing guidelines and all the individual facts of each case. Where the offender has recent and relevant previous convictions this is a statutory aggravating factor which should increase the severity of the sentence. In addition, a third conviction for a domestic burglary has a minimum sentence of three years’ imprisonment. Since December 2012 an automatic life sentence applies to any offender convicted of a second very serious sexual crime. Also, since December 2012, threatening with a knife or bladed article in a school or public place has a minimum sentence of six months’ imprisonment, or four months’ detention for a 16 or 17 year old offender. Since 17 July 2015, adult offenders convicted of a second or subsequent offence of possession of a knife or offensive weapon will face a minimum sentence of six months’ imprisonment.The table below shows the highest number of previous convictions of an offender convicted of the same offence and the sentence received for the most recent offence in England and Wales, 2005 – 2014.



Number of previous convictions from 2005-14
(Excel SpreadSheet, 43.5 KB)

National Probation Service for England and Wales

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what number of cases is handled by the National Probation Service in (a) each region of England and (b) each month in each such region.

Andrew Selous: Figures for the caseload of the probation service (the National Probation Service and the 21 Community Rehabilitation Companies). are published quarterly in the Offender Management Statistics Bulletin, England and Wales:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-statistics-quarterlyTable 4.10 shows offenders supervised in the community at the end of the quarter, by National Probation Service Region, Division and Community Rehabilitation Company.

National Probation Service for England and Wales: Staff

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many probation officers have been employed by the National Probation Service since its establishment in each month in that period, and for each such month in each region of England.

Andrew Selous: Information on the number of probation officers employed in each NPS Division is published quarterly in the National Offender Management Service Workforce Statistics Bulletin. The information on probation officer numbers can be located in table 11 of the publication, which can be found at the link below:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-offender-management-service-workforce-statistics

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2015 to Question 14066, what accountability mechanisms are in place for the Criminal Cases Review Commission; and if he will meet the hon. Member for Sefton Central to discuss the case of James Thompson.

Mike Penning: As I stated in response to Question 14066, although the Criminal Cases Review Commission is funded by my Department, it is entirely independent of Government, and Ministers cannot, and should not, intervene in its reviews or decisions. Since there is no action I can take, I do not believe a meeting with the Hon. Member would be helpful.

New Roads and Street Works Act 1991

Mrs Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions and convictions have been obtained under sections 60 and 79 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 since that Act came into force.

Andrew Selous: This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Cabinet Office

Cybercrime

Jim Shannon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to tackle cyber attacks originating in Russia and China.

Matthew Hancock: For security reasons we do not comment on specific details of cyber security attacks. The Government takes cyber security very seriously; from 2011 to 2016, we have invested £860 million in a National Cyber Security Programme.We plan to almost double investment in cybersecurityto £1.9bn over the next five years.

Public Sector: Mutual Societies

Anna Turley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress the Government has made on developing a right to mutualise within the public sector; and if he will make a statement.

Matthew Hancock: The Government is committed to supporting the growth of public service mutuals and delivering the manifesto commitment to guarantee the right to mutualise within the public sector. The Government will set out its plan in more detail in due course.

Commissioning Academy: Finance

Anna Turley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans the Government has for the funding of the Commissioning Academy over the next five years.

Matthew Hancock: The Government will continue to support the Commissioning Academy. We are looking at a variety of funding options to put it on a sustainable footing.

Business: Human Rights

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will include a commitment to extend the Open Contracting Principles to cover climate and development finance in the third National Action Plan.

Matthew Hancock: Our third Open Government Partnership National Action Plan (NAP), due for publication in 2016, is currently being developed through an open and collaborative process in partnership with civil society.

Employment

Andrew Percy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress the Government has made on increasing the level of employment in (a) North Lincolnshire, (b) East Yorkshire and (c) England since 2010.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA Letter to Member - Level of Employment
(PDF Document, 122.18 KB)

Cabinet Office: Public Expenditure

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) the amount of any underspend expected against departmental expenditure limits in the current fiscal year and (b) his Department's latest forecast of total annually managed expenditure spend for this year is; and what the forecasts were for those sums at the time of the Summer Budget 2015 and March Budget 2015.

Matthew Hancock: The Cabinet Office is not forecasting any underspend against departmental expenditure limits in the current fiscal year. There was no underspend forecast at the time of the Summer Budget 2015 or the March Budget 2015 either. The Department’s latest forecast of total annually managed expenditure is £5 million, in line with the budget for 2015-16.

Charities

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of a fundraising preference service on the work of the charity sector.

Mr Rob Wilson: The Fundraising Preference Service, recommended by the Etherington reviewinto fundraising, will re-balancepower back to individuals and help them to press the 'reset' button on their relationship with fundraisers, giving them control over the fundraisingcommunications they receive from charities. It will stop people being inundated withrequests which they do not wish to receive and it will stop charities wasting resources oncommunicating with people that do not wish to hear from them. It also seeks to underwritepublic trust and confidence in charities which is vital to the sector’s work.A working group involving charities is being established to develop the detailed plans for theimplementation of the service.

Electronic Government: Data Protection

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to protect the personal details of those registered with the Government Gateway service from hacking; and if he will make a statement.

Matthew Hancock: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley on 2 November 2015 to UIN: 13799.

House of Commons Commission

Parliament: ICT

Chi Onwurah: To ask the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, how many incidents of (a) hacking, (b) viruses and (c) data breaches were reported to the Parliamentary Digital Service in the last 12 months.

Tom Brake: We do not comment on matters of digital or physical security. I understand the Director of the Digital Service has discussed the matter with the hon. Member.

Members' Constituency Work: Data Protection

Chi Onwurah: To ask the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, what steps the Parliamentary Digital Service is taking to protect constituency casework data.

Tom Brake: We do not comment on matters of digital or physical security. I understand the Director of the Digital Service has discussed the matter with the hon. Member.

Parliament: Security

Richard  Arkless: To ask the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will provide an update on whether there are plans for a review of security protocols for the Parliamentary Estate and what communication the Serjeant at Arms office has had with relevant government departments on increasing the security of the House and the safety of staff.

Tom Brake: It is a long-standing practice that we do not comment in public on the security of Parliament. However, I can assure the hon. Member that arrangements are kept under continual review and those working on the Estate are advised of any changes. If he has particular concerns the Parliamentary Security Director and the Serjeant at Arms would be happy to meet with him.